"Why are you so happy just by looking at the fields?" I ask her.
She flinches, surprised by my question, which interrupts the silence. She hesitates: "Because I don't normally go out of town. The landscape is one of a kind for me."
It is not like I do not see dead bodies, blood, and a lot of weapons every day because I usually work with dangerous people, but she did not choose to see that. She looks like an innocent soul forced to live in this miserable life.
"Yeah, you are right," I answer.
"In the 2000s, do we still have wars?" She asks with curiosity, wanting to know the future she awaits.
"It recently started a war between Russia and Ukraine; it is bad too, politically, although in China, there is no war. But there are a lot of bad people who want to control the world or people who want you dead, so it is not easier there than here," I say calmly, controlling every word I say.
"Oh… I understand, so in every century it will be difficult, whatever happens..." On her face, I can read disappointment. Of course, it is hard; only those who are rich in money and status can easily survive in the new era. Though… her eyes glimmer weakly, like a faded light losing its life slowly.
"You're strong…and a very skilled fighter. I'm sure you can overcome any war ahead of you." I smile, my eyes look slightly vulnerable to her, taking in the way her hair moves with the wind.
"Thank you." She says quietly, chuckling: "You're… kind when you want to."
"I have my rare moments here and there," I say proudly, half joking, for her laughter.
After what seems like an entire day of travelling, down the Lushan Mountain and close to our first destination, the extremely tall mountains up ahead, as the sun sets over the horizon, we find refuge in a small, quite deserted town at the entrance of it. I get off the horse first, holding my hand out for Li Qiao. She looks at me for a moment, noticing her pink cheeks highlighted by the cold, as she takes my hand in hers, helping herself down. The streets don't seem as busy as the big market's.
"It's getting dark, let's go to the inn quickly." She takes her sword, holding it close.
She walks up to the woman behind the long desk. "Two rooms, please."
"My apologies, there's only one room left."
"Then two beds." She demands.
"It only has one bed…"
"What!? Can't you add another futon or something?" Li Qiao asks, shocked.
"I'm sorry, but we are out of futons at the moment, miss."
I clear my throat awkwardly. "I can make an exception this once."
Li Qiao looks at me like I've just insulted her whole family. "Fine… that'll do."
In the room.
"I can sleep on the floor if it bothers you that much."
"No, it's fine. It's just for a few hours, I don't mind." She places down her sword and a few other essentials brought along.
I open the window just to see raindrops falling across the quiet street. "Looks like nature wants to trouble us."
"We'll leave first thing in the morning." We lay down on the mattress. "So, what's it like where you come from?"
"Everything is monotone. High technology and all that crap. You wouldn't know, kid."
"Isn't it supposed to be better? It seems like it's not."
"Oh, in terms of evolution, it is. But it isn't in favor of many people." I look out the window. "I kind of miss old times like this. Where I don't have to worry about the outcome of everything and just let fate decide for me."
"Are you one of these people?"
"I was. I worked hard to become what I am now. But it's not the best ideal job to have." I play with my hair strands. My eyes meet hers every few glances.
"Sounds like you have an easier time, then." She turns around on one side, facing me, resting her eyes.
I look at her for a second, just staring at the closed eyelids and the way her hair falls across her face. "Yeah. It's … entertaining."
I wait for her to fall asleep first, and soon after losing myself in a heavy sleep.
The night rests over us. We lay down on the mattress, falling into the silence of the night. The trees gently flutter their leaves, chiming at the windows. Royal shades of blue envelope the night. Outside, it can be heard in the distance, an old man chanting slowly, prayers for spirits to find their home and leave the mortal realm, revealing their forms among the humans, as every step of his is followed by the in-rhythm beat of the bottom of the flag against the concrete. The flag holds up, painted in blood, with messy calligraphy, curses for the dead on its silk. As the man passes by the main street, a figure appears not far behind him. Bells seem to chime in time with the person's steps. A woman, pale as snow itself, dressed in a navy dress with shades of gray and snow, strolls the silent streets. A white cloth covers her blind eyes. A small jade talisman, attached to the grip of her sword, rings loudly. She hums a gentle song amidst the dark.
A quiet moment is set down when, suddenly, a fight breaks out in the alley. Sparks of shades of blue and red shoot everywhere; the sound of steel hitting steel echoes loudly. The rivalry between peaceful dream and intense fate appears as two souls trapped in two different ethnicities: Ningmeng[1], guardian of night, peace, and dreamland, and Yongyan, destiny's guide, representative of eternal flame, and a warrior.
Two different paths collide with one another in a loop, the never-ending controversy.
The warrior takes the form of a tall man, dressed in black clothing with red threads and stitches. His sword is wrapped in vines; the breeze lifts the red ribbons attached to the sword's handle.
The swords' music reaches my ears, waking me up from my sleep. I quietly make my way outside, trying to understand where the fighting sounds are coming from. I look at the two people holding their two blades to one another's necks. The man doesn't bother looking at me, trying to strike again at the woman. Though she only needed one sound of my breath to notice my presence nearby, forcing her for some reason to disappear into the night. The man rapidly follows her shadow, both leaving without a trace.
I had to rub my eyes out of the sleep to understand what was going on in the middle of the night, finding myself with nothing left behind the two unknown people.
I rush back into the inn to check on Li Qiao. She was still fast asleep. Good.
I let myself rest for a few more hours before starting the day.
[1] guardian of night, peace, and dreamland