A Wuxia Tale: Blade in Training

Mughal Nest

(WANG HUA)

I think I made the wrong decision. Maybe instead of insisting to come with Jin on his visit to his mother's home...I should have convince him not to proceed with his plans.

I stood beside the man I will marry two years from now, waiting for Princess XiLen to go out of the Tans' ancestral palace to greet us. Behind us stood Dao, Yong and Manchu. I don't have to look behind me to feel that my brother is slightly fidgeting on his feet. Dao is not someone who likes waiting or putting the both of us in danger.

As Mughal guards surround us in a circle in the Tans' garden, I know Dao thinks we put ourselves in danger. He will be wrong. I think I put us in danger, not we. This is my fault.

"Don't be scared," Jin softly said through the corners of his lips. "They won't hurt us,"

"Was that your decision or their's?" I asked Jin. "Because I think they didn't get your order for them not to hurt us. They look mean..."

"They look ugly," Manchu said bluntly. "With their half naked inked bodies exposed and their pants...skirt? I cannot say if those are pants or skirt." Jin's sword guard does sound confuse.

"Who cares if they are wearing pants or skirts?" Dao mumbled in annoyance. "Look at their shoes...should it be that pointy? And bendy?"

"They look unusual yes. But what I don't like is their quietness. Why are they just standing there and looking at us?" Yong grumbled darkly.

I sighed. "They look unusual because they are from a different land and custom. But I want to agree with Yong, why are they so quiet?" I asked Jin.

"And can they understand us?" Jin mussed while putting a hand at the small of my back. "Still, don't be scared, my love. I won't let anyone hurt you."

I smiled at the man I love. I agree with him, I won't let anyone hurt me or Dao or Jin and his guards. I won't let any of us get hurt in this meeting.

Oh how I wish this is over already.

"My son,"

We all look sideways where we heard Princess XiLen approaching. She looks utterly lovely in a yellow silk robe with patterns in bird design. Her smile bright as can rival the color of her robes.

Likewise, Princess Nadira looks exotically beautiful in her black and orange Mughal clothings that consist of a long skirt with a slip on both sides reaching her knees and a blouse that hugs her budding body perfectly. It shows a part of her middle and the sleeves are quite short. Her elbows and large part of her arms are exposed. He got a gauzy material pinned on her head and draping her sides and back. Gold jewelries were attached on her arms, wrists and headpiece.

I think I like what she is wearing, minus the jewelries. If my elbows are exposed, would that make my fighting moves more fluid?

I discreetly shook my head. I have no time to be distracted with Princess Nadira's clothings. Not when we should stay alert while we are in the enemies territory.

It's just...it's hard to think of Princess XiLen as an enemy when I see a great deal of Jin on her. Or is it the other way around? Jin inherited most of his handsome features from his mother.

"Jin," Princess Xilen took both of my fiance's hands and smiled at her son. She and Jin are almost in the same height. Princess XiLen is a statueque woman. "I am so happy to learn that you are visiting me. I thought finally, I can spend time with my son without the Palace people scrutinizing us." Jin's mother's smile melted a bit though when she spied that Jin brought company with him in this visit. "You brought friends with you," she said while eyeing me, my brother and Jin's guards.