A Wuxia Tale: Blade in Training

Knowledge

(DAYU)

Talking about the future and death with Captain Wang has surprisingly calm me. I think like Uncle Feng, my Captain and I don't fear the future. We know death will be waiting for us, and it doesn't matter...because Captain and I will still be together in the end.

That thought calmed me and I now regard AhRan with a little less hostility. Why will I fear a boy who can see the future?

AhRan cannot scare or surprise me anymore. I don't fear the future.

"I know. I know you don't fear the future, Consort." AhRan said during our luncheon stop. We are a day and a half away from AnHui temple, the place where we will leave AhRan.

I sighed, "Tell me, can you read minds?" I asked the boy while we are sitting on the opposite sides of a little fire where the kettle for tea water is heating up.

We were left alone because Captain Wang is busy watering and brushing down the horses by the little pond that we saw a few meters away. Captain Wang is in charge of the horses, I am left to guard our "mission".

AhRan shook his head, his long, slightly curling hair moving with it. "I can't read minds but I can see the future and the past. I didn't hear your conversation with General Wang last night but I saw it, Consort."

I frowned, "Stop calling me Consort. I am not a Consort in this life..."

"Yes, I understand." AhRan nodded.

What is it that he understands? Ugh! This boy...

"Fine, you can see the future. I will indulge you then, what do you see on my future?" I asked the boy in a sardonic tone.

"Death." The boy replied easily.

I rolled my eyes, "We will all die."

AhRan nodded, "That's true. But you will die without your Captain beside your deathbed." He said.

That made my heart skip a beat. "W-what do you mean? Where will Captain Wang be when I die?"

"Waiting for you...in the afterlife." AhRan said.

That made me sigh, "Damn it! He will get his wish then. He will die before me! Damn it!" I feel a little annoyed that Captain Wang will die first.

But only if I believe this boy, which is still not fully the case. I let my anger leave my body.

AhRan made an amused sound. "Don't worry, you will get your wish too. You will be buried under the cherry blossom tree by the lake beside your lover." He said.

I frowned again, "I see that you heard everything on our conversation last night."

I don't believe for one minute that the boy sees the future. I will bet our horses that AhRan eavesdropped on my conversation with Captain Wang last night. Pretending to be asleep in his tent.

AhRan smiled at me, "You didn't mention that the cherry blossom tree was by the lake last night." He said.

That made me stop. Didn't I mention that last night? I tried remembering what I said to Captain Wang about wanting to be buried under the cherry blossom tree.

I winced when I remembered that I did forgot to mention that the tree was by the lake.

"That's wonderful to know, that I will get my wish as well." I said in a bitter tone. I think this charlatan is saying words I like to hear to make me want to believe him. It's all a trick.

AhRan nodded, "You are lucky. You had a fulfilling life with General Wang before you both died. Fate rewarded you in that way."

Those words made me stare at AhRan. A thought entered my mind. "Let's say I believe your claim of seeing the future. Say I believe your claim that you can see how you will die. You can see how you will die, right?" I just want that one to be cleared again.