Hajoon gradually recovered, but he spent the first two weeks of his recovery in bed. Exempted from her normal lessons and training, Feiyan had been assigned to keep Hajoon company and teach him about Moutan. In her absence, Xia would accompany the Prince.

 

Feiyan was delighted with the change in pace and spent most of her mornings with Hajoon, teaching him words and making sure he was taking his medicine. In the afternoon, she was free to study or practice the sword as she wished.

 

Today Hajoon looked ten times better than he had when he’d arrived, and he was sitting up in bed. Although he was improving, the head maid had insisted on continuing with soft food, and Hajoon was currently eyeing a bowl of rice porridge with great distaste. He’d swallowed the bitter medicine soup with no complaints, but had drawn the line at more porridge.

 

Hajoon-Ge can be so cute! thought Feiyan.

 

“It’s my favourite,” Feiyan chirped cheerfully, as the maid put down the tray of pork and aged egg. Turning to her, she said: “It’s alright, you may go. I can feed him.”

 

Hajoon went red and then white.

 

“I…feed myself!” he hissed in his heavy accent. Glaring, he felt terribly embarrassed that he was being taken care of by a girl who was obviously younger than him. She sat on a high stool, swinging her short legs, her silver Shadow mask set askew on the side of her head, looking more like a cute dumpling than a trained assassin.

 

Feiyan blithely ignored him, eyes bent into crescents as she smiled.

 

“Mmmn, good job! Even though you’ve only been here two weeks, you already understand everything we say!” Feiyan crowed. “And your speech is getting better!”

 

She’s…praising me?

 

The purple-eyed boy frowned, feeling a pang that he had not felt since the night he’d arrived.

 

“Here!” she said, hopping off the stool. Taking the tray, she carefully set it on his lap before he could protest and then dipped the spoon into the porridge.  Standing on her tip toes, she said: “Hajoon-Ge say ahhh!”

 

Flushing, he raised his hand to push the spoon away, but somehow the small hand holding the spoon skidded around him, still hovering in front of his mouth. Blinking, he tried again with the same result.

 

What just happened…?

 

Feiyan smirked, but she also want to groan.

 

Argh! Father, he has absolutely no martial foundation! Did you mean for me to train him from scratch?! Fine, but first I need to convince him to eat…

 

Suddenly Hajoon moved, using more force to block her hand as she tried to move the spoon towards his mouth.

 

Grinning, Feiyan skidded her wrist against his, blocking back, and then shot her other hand out. Startled, he jerked, mouth opening in surprise as Feiyan pounced on him, shoving the spoonful of porridge into his mouth without spilling a single drop. The entire tray should have been upended with his thrashing, but Feiyan had expertly tapped the bowl and tray back down with her elbow. While the porridge sloshed up, it simply dropped neatly back into the bowl.

 

Hajoon had gulped down without thinking and then realized he’d swallowed the porridge.

 

“Y-you…You!” he cried. Trembling with dislike, he looked like he was about to cry.

 

Xing and Haruka, who had been peaking from the hallway, were both holding each other, trying not to die from laughter. They’d just been about to visit, but had opened the door to find Feiyan straddling the boy with a spoon aimed like a weapon. Rather than embarrass them with an interruption, they decided to escape instead.

 

“Well…they seem to be getting along…” Xing whispered, still quivering with mirth.

 

Haruka grinned as they quietly made their way back up the corridor.

 

“I was worried before, but now that she has something to focus on other than those nobles…I think she’ll be alright,” said Haruka, with relief. “Lord Mu always knows how to resolve these things…”

 

Inside the chamber, while Hajoon tried to hide his pout, Feiyan said:

 

“Do you want to learn how I did that?” she asked.

 

He glared at her, and turned his face away, but she propped her chin on her fists and leaned until she was in his range of vision again.

 

Gosh…he needs a lot of coaxing…who knew that keeping someone would be this exhausting!

 

He huffed indignantly and contemplated the cute little girl that had just outwitted him with a spoon. Something twinged inside him and though he still felt a certain amount of resentment, he finally nodded. His purpose in coming to Moutan was to become strong enough that those from Keungang would no longer be able to hurt him or his mother.

 

"Excellent!” she grinned, satisfied. “Eat. Get better and we shall train together. From now on, you are part of my triad, Hajoon! You’re mine!”

 

He blinked.

 

Heh…this silly little girl…does she even know what she’s saying? I will never submit to her!

 

“Fine,” he sighed, and taking the bowl, he grudgingly began to eat.

 

Feiyan beamed.

 

The new puppy is learning!

 

***

 

Since Feiyan had managed to convince Hajoon to behave, she excused herself after he’d finished his meal and left him with some books. He had progressed rapidly and would soon master the language.

 

Stretching in the sunshine, she breathed in the sweet summer air, glorying in her freedom, but then she felt a pang. Stopping mid-stretch, she wondered if the Prince was doing alright.

 

How can the air be so nice out here, but so oppressive in the palace. Bi should get out more…this is a good day to go to the hunting ground to practice…

 

Leaping up, she easily scaled the walls of her father’s compound, and raced towards the Royal hunting grounds. When she reached the trees, she tucked her mask into an inner pocket and giggled. Leaping from branch to branch, she finally flung herself out over the river.

 

As her shadow flew down over his head, Pul looked up from where he’d been lying. Twiddling a river reed, he was astonished to see Crown Prince Iseulbi tapping over the water, skimming the surface using the qingong or ‘light steps’ that Moutan martial artists were so famed for.

 

The Prince had almost flown out of sight when Pul finally found his voice and shouted:

 

“Your Highness, please wait!”

 

Turning her head in recognition, Feiyan swept herself up into a spin, churning the water below her. Water flicked like silver beads as the sunlight caught them and Pul held his breath at the sight of the boy spinning over the mini waterspout that’d been created.

 

Well, this is troublesome… she thought, realizing it was the blond haired Shoban page.

 

“Student Pul,” Feiyan greeted as she tapped down into the grass. Straightening with the same grace and carriage as her Prince, she quickly plastered a polite but disinterested expression on her face.

 

“Your Highness,” Pul bowed. “I’m glad to see you are well,” he said, thinking about the lotus pond incident. He’d only seen Prince once or twice since that time, but always at a distance. Thankfully, the younger boy seemed to have recovered without any ill effects…which was actually a little strange since the Prince was supposedly of a weak constitution. However, the person in front of him seemed to be just fine.

 

“I am well and see that you are too,” Feiyan answered, smiling slightly.

 

Ears burning, Pul rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

 

“Ah, yes…”

 

He’s red again…how does one get so red?

 

“Uhm…well, it’s unexpected to meet you outside the palace…” Pul mumbled, trying to find something to say that wouldn’t make him sound like an idiot. “Uhm…have your classes at the Academy been going well…?”

 

Feiyan sighed with sudden impatience, unable to maintain the awkward politeness. Grabbing his hand, she said:

 

“Come with me.”

 

She tugged him forward into a run.

 

At first he stumbled after her, but soon he picked up her rhythm as they ran along the bank. As their steps came into sync, Pul gradually relaxed, marveling at the confidence of the younger boy, who ran ahead, gripping his hand with a sureness that made Pul’s heart thump.

 

When Iseulbi turned back to glance at him over his shoulder, dark eyes sparkling in the sunlight, Pul felt his stomach do a small flip.

 

Seeing that Pul had finally relaxed, Feiyan slowly drew to a stop and released his hand to pull up some river reeds.

 

“Watch…”

 

Weaving the reeds together, she slowly formed a small box. Handing it to him, she quickly made another for herself.

 

“What’s this for?” he asked, puzzled.

 

“Don’t you keep crickets in Shobu? It’s considered lucky,” she said, shrugging.

 

He flushed with shame. Trapped in the annex, he wasn’t even aware of this pastime.

 

Red again, mused Feiyan. I guess I have to show him this too…what a strange boy…

 

The two spent an afternoon filled with chirping as they hunted for the crickets that were hidden amongst the high reeds. Only after Feiyan was assured that she had caught the most feisty one, did she throw herself down in the grass next to Pul who was once again staring at the sky. He’d given up the hunt ages ago and was carefully examining the reed box.

 

Feiyan played with her cricket as he prattled on beside her, only grunting now and then.

 

By the Gods…he sure talks a lot once he stops being shy…she thought, barely listening.

 

“…only I don’t understand the meaning of that passage, do you…?” he asked suddenly turning his head to look at the Prince.

 

“Oh!”

 

Feiyan had unknowingly turned at the same time and was surprised to find herself nose to nose with him. The blue eyes widened and then took on a strange look that made her uncomfortable. Sitting up abruptly, she felt her heart thump in her chest as Pul lay dazed in the grass, still gazing blankly.

 

Ah…dammit…! she thought, suddenly realizing from the colour of the sky how much time had passed.

 

Brushing herself off, she quickly climbed to her feet.

 

“Forgive me…This Prince must return…they’ll be missing me because I snuck out…”

 

Pul scrambled up, jolted out of his daze, heart still dancing erratically in his chest.

 

“O-of course, your Highness…mhm…Will I see you again?” Pul asked hopefully, looking at his feet.

 

“Perhaps?” she responded, squinting distractedly at the angle of the sun.

 

“I’ll wait for you then,” he said, looking pleased.

 

Feiyan made a ‘pfft’ sound. “Here…take this…” she said, handing him her cricket box.

 

“But it’s yours…” he protested.

 

“I can always come back and catch another. Since you didn’t find one, you can have mine.”

 

“Thank you,” said Pul, feeling moved. He clutched the chirping box to his chest with both hands as if it was the most precious treasure in the world.

 

What a clumsy boy!

 

“No need for thanks,” she snorted.

 

Leaping up into a tree, she took off, leaving him staring after her.