The next stop came at sunset. Preparations for sleep had to be made. Yunsheng tried not to act directly for the time being, but simply to flit before the Young Lady's eyes, watching her from under his brow while contemplating a plan to win her over. Athit had always been graceful and captivating in his ordinary movements and conversation, but now, in this body, he seemed even more fragile and delicate; long nails made his fingers appear even slenderer. The movements, gestures, and glances betrayed Athit within him. His Athit. He would break into a smile, casting fleeting glances in between tasks. The Young Lady and her handmaiden barely emerged from their carriage. By now, everyone had long since gone to sleep, and Yunsheng was second on watch. The fire still burned, crackling in the silence of the night. Suddenly, he heard a quiet creak and the rustle of clothing. The man turned instantly, hand on the hilt of his sword. The carriage door opened slowly, revealing a girl's silhouette; she carefully descended to the ground and froze upon catching the commander's gaze. They looked at each other for several seconds, then the man slowly approached her and bowed.
"My apologies if I startled you," he straightened up. "Is something troubling you?"
"No. I just… cannot sleep. I wanted some fresh air."
"In that case, I advise against wandering far from the camp; it may be unsafe."
"Is the squad sleeping by the fire?" the girl peeked over his shoulder.
Yunsheng turned, assessing the situation. The Young Lady might feel uncomfortable surrounded by sleeping men.
"If you wish, we can… separate ourselves slightly and move a bit further away. I will stand guard over you."
"Thank you," the girl smiled modestly and lowered her gaze, glad that the commander had permitted it. She had feared he would be strict and intimidating, but earlier that day she had noticed he had kind eyes.
Moonlight illuminated their path with silver. The man walked two steps behind so that the girl remained in his sight. He involuntarily stared at her slender silhouette. That gait, the grace in every movement. Yunsheng could have watched this for the rest of the night. Suddenly, the girl stumbled; a stone slipped sideways under her foot, and in the next second, a man's hand was on her shoulder, the other grasping her wrist to provide support. Yunsheng smelled a floral scent and felt the touch of soft hair against his face. They stood like that for several moments, realizing the situation and the proximity in which they found themselves. So unexpectedly fast and improper. Yunsheng stepped back immediately.
"Forgive me," he bowed, "for taking such a liberty."
"You shouldn't apologize; you didn't let me fall. Thank you," the girl said quietly and shyly, nodding in response.
They walked on, but the atmosphere had changed.
The stream met them with tranquility; Yunsheng noted that in the evening it seemed faster and louder. Now the water flowed rhythmically, shimmering in the silver rays.
The girl sat down on a small stone nearby and simply watched the current; it seemed as if the anxieties that kept her awake were gradually drifting away with the water.
Yunsheng remained standing nearby, always ready to protect.
Both were silent for some time; the girl watched the water, lost in thought, while the man watched her.
"The Governor… what kind of man is he?" the girl asked quietly, breaking the silence that had formed. This was partly what kept her awake.
"The Governor General… is a powerful man," he began cautiously after some silence. "He is intelligent. Experienced. Knows how to hold onto power."
"As a person," the girl added, making it clear that this was not the answer she expected.
Yunsheng looked at her more closely.
"Do you want an honest answer… or?"
"Honest," the girl replied, looking into his eyes as she turned.
The man hesitated slightly.
"His reputation… is ambiguous. He is respected. He is feared. But not everyone close to him feels safe."
The girl lowered her gaze.
"So the rumors do not lie," the girl said doomedly. "I have never seen him," she admitted. "Yet I already belong to him."
Yunsheng's fist clenched involuntarily behind his back.
"You are not a thing."
Jihua looked at her commander again. She caught strange notes of an incomprehensible feeling in his phrase. Or did she imagine it?
"In any case, everything is already foreordained," the girl replied bitterly.
So many words swirled on Yunsheng's tongue; he wanted to tell her that she had a chance, that she could refuse this cursed marriage, that he would certainly protect her, would not let anything terrible happen, that he was near. But he could not; he had no right.
"Sometimes, if one desires it very strongly and asks the Gods for it, they will help, and destiny can change in an incredible direction," was all he replied.
"Are you saying the Gods once helped You?"
"Indeed."
The girl sank into silence, pondering his advice.
"Thank You," this gave her a tiny hope; she smiled to herself.
And again silence hung between them, but this silence was different.
After a while, the commander reminded her that it was time to return; they quietly went back to the carriage, trying to remain unnoticed. Jihua went inside, and Yunsheng replayed this small excursion in his head for a long time.
The morning turned out cool. Mist still lingered between the trees as the squad began to pack for the road. Horses snorted, soldiers spoke in hushed tones, gathering their belongings. Jihua sat in the carriage, her silhouette barely discernible behind the curtain.
Yunsheng involuntarily cast a glance in that direction—and immediately looked away.
Houwei had been unusually silent since early morning. He moved more sharply than usual, tightening the straps on his saddle almost irritably, answering briefly and dryly. Even when Yunsheng gave the order to depart, he merely nodded without meeting his eyes.
"What's wrong with him…" the thought flashed, but the man did not approach with questions.
The journey continued.
During the midday halt, Yunsheng sat slightly apart, pretending to be busy with the route map. In reality, his attention returned again and again to the carriage. He allowed himself only fleeting glances—stealthily, as if afraid someone would notice his all-too-obvious interest.
Sometimes he caught the movement of fabric, a light silhouette, a shadow behind the curtain—and each time his heart responded with a quiet, painful warmth.
He did not dare to approach.
Too many eyes, too many rules, and the very possibility of being near seemed too fragile.
When the break was almost over, Yunsheng approached Houwei, who was adjusting buckles on his horse; he wanted to speak, but the latter immediately led the horse away in silence, leaving the man with questions.
The road stretched on lazily and monotonously. The carriage wheels creaked in time with the horses' steps; the wind rustled in the dry grass by the roadside. Yunsheng rode at the head of the squad, holding the reins confidently, but his thoughts were far from here.
He returned again and again to the past night: to the silvery light of the moon, to the quiet voice, to the warmth that remained on the skin where his hand had held her.
He remembered how she sat by the stream, looking into the water as if trying to leave her anxieties in it, how she was silent—but this silence was not empty, but alive, filled with something fragile and real.
"She doesn't even know who I am to her…"
Yunsheng gripped the reins a little tighter. He caught himself wanting to hear her voice again, knowing he could not lose her again. His gaze involuntarily darted back to the carriage. He understood: last night was the beginning of something that could no longer be stopped. Even if they remained silent and kept their distance. Sometimes one look is enough for fate to be unable to retreat, and ahead of them waited the Governor General's residence. And Yunsheng suddenly felt clearly: the closer they got to their destination, the further he was from the possibility of being with her, and from this, his heart clenched tighter and tighter.