Brother caught the little shadow with ease. I rushed to the edge of the float to see what Xie Lian had caught. He turned, and in his arms was a child. no older than seven or so. He was covered in dirt and torn, raged clothes. His hair was short and black, with strands sticking out in some places, all while his face was covered in bandages. When I looked up, I saw that my older brother's mask had fallen off. He pointed his head up for a moment before looking back at me. I nodded and flew back up. I was so worried about the child that I hadn't noticed how much of a mess the rest of the parade was. I flew over the horses and spread some snow over them to calm them. They halted their braying and stomping. Next were the musicians. I used some of my power to mimic the music long enough to allow the musicians time to regroup and join in on the music again. I spun and continued my dance in the air around the float. Xie Lian and Mu Qing were back to fighting on the float. I continued my dance and created a blue light show. We continued, and for the rest of the parade, Xie Lian fought Mu Qing while caring for the little one.
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a few hours later, and we were done.
"Ugh!" I heaved as I lay on the ground in my blue and white dress. I was out of breath and tired. brother was sitting to the side while holding the little boy in his arms. "I am so tired!"
"Us too." My brother gave a breathy laugh as I sat with my arms out to the sides. The next thing I knew, two friends of mine were rushing our way. a girl, about sixteen or fifteen, named Pyua, and a boy who looked about the same age, named Haoyu. They both looked upset and anxious.
"Xiao Gou? Pyua?" I asked. I have been referring to Haoyu as Xiao Gou since he started off as my attendant. He's basically a puppy with his kind of devotion. I am the only person who knows his birth name. "what's wrong?"
I stood up as the two ran to us. Xie Lian stood up with the child in his arms.
"THE HECK YOU MEAN, 'WHAT'S WRONG'?!" Pyua asked as she stopped before us with the same white robes she owns, while Haoyu wore colourful, self-designed robes. "YOU TWO JUST WOWED THE ENTIRE KINGDOM OF XIANLE!"
"Eh, heh." I laughed uncomfortably. Pyua has always been the type to be enthusiastic about changing things. like the parade, and just about everything set in stone for the better. She's a great friend, but Haoyu is the best friend. "Yeah, well, it is tiring. and I am pretty sure the entire kingdom wasn't expecting us to drop from the sky."
I looked past them, and I saw Feng Xin staring at someone behind me. I turned back, and I put together that he was looking like a little kid.
"Your highness, what are you doing, bringing the child in too?" I heard him ask from behind me. I just smiled as I watched the little thing. laying on my brother's chest, frozen and unmoving. He must have been worried about breathing to loudly as well.
"What was I to do?" I walked over to my brother and began to pat the little one on the head. His hair felt stiff and dry. The poor thing must be a beggar. "Throw him back out on the streets? It's a mess out there; he's such a tiny creature, he'd get trampled to death."
"Can you talk, little guy?" I asked, tilting his head up with my index finger. The child nodded. looking back to Xie Lian. "Okay, then can you tell us how old you are? How did you end up falling?"
The kid said nothing and stared at Xie Lian.
"Your highness, the child probably doesn't dare to speak; he's obviously scared witless." Mu Qing said. brother patted the little boy's head. I smiled at the little thing with a large, dark eye visible.
"So silly," he said, looking at the little boy. "Feng Xin, go find someone to take him out through the side doors when you get a chance, see if he's injured, his head is wrapped in bandages."
"alright." Feng Xin extended his hand after I stepped out of the way, and she stepped forward with his hand out. "Give him here."
I watched while Feng Xin went to take the kid, but the kid wasn't being taken off my brother. I furrowed my brows and looked at Xie Lian.
"Uh, brother, why aren't you letting go?" I asked.
"I did let go," he said, raising his arms to prove it.
"PFFFT!" I laughed, realizing that the little boy was latching on to him like there was no tomorrow. I began to snort after every word. "kid! You've got to let go!"
"Come on, little guy, you have to go home now." I continued to snort while my brother spoke to the kid, who was still gripping tightly onto his clothes refusing to let go. A few around us were taken aback and started laughing out loud. i already knew my big brother was eye candy. I didn't expect a kid to be this attached at such a young age, though!
"Your Highness, this child doesn't want to leave!" one of the devotees said as they snickered. I wasn't holding back my impractical snorting laugh.
Xie Lian also laughed, with us. "Is that right? That won't do. I've got my own things to do. Go home, little kid."
Hearing this, that child must have realized what was being asked of him before finally loosened his grip slowly, letting go of his clothes, and Feng Xin picked him up. even after that, the kids big black eye watched Xie Lian, like a second away he would surely disappear.
"Brother, I think the kid likes you a lot." He turned to me. "He isn't taking his eye off you."
More laughter progressed as Xie Lian shook his head.
"Don't pick him up like you're picking up trash, you're scaring him." brother told Feng Xin when he saw how he was holding the kid.
Feng Xin put the child back down on the ground before he started talking."Enough joking around. the state preceptor is freaking out. Your Highness better think about how you're going to face him later." Hearing this, everyone stopped laughing. i gave a graveled sigh.
"here we go again." i said out loud as i rolled my eyes and my head.