(DAYU)
I was forced to conceal to Hua that her twin brother is missing. When I received a letter from my lover who was supposed to be assessing our son's situation there, that he forwarded to be delivered quickly by a strong rider, I couldn't believe the words written on it.
In the letter, Captain Wang broke the news that our son, our Dao, is nowhere to be found in the Southern base.
"Dao is not here, my heart. The boy deceived us. I will be back soon. I just sent this short message to appraise you of what happened..."
Deceived us? Dao finally and completely lied to us. I closed my eyes as the familiar anger rose in my chest for my stupid son.
"I will kill him. I will lock him in his room and slowly torture him. Wang Dao...you..."
Different emotions has been boiling inside me since I received this letter from my lover. Worry, fear, anger...they all swirl on my head, heart and belly as I think about where my son could be.
I need Captain Wang to arrive. I need my lover to explain to me what happened in his visit at the Southern Border. I need my lover to look me in the eye and tell me that our son is truly missing.
I cannot contain this. I will soon explode in worry and anger. I am just glad that Hua seems busy with her Nana that she spends more time outside of our home and thus it's easier to avoid her.
But Captain Wang is bound to be home any minute now and soon, there will be no concealing this problem to Hua. She needs to know that her twin is missing. Again...
Oh...this is just like what I felt when Dao was taken by those rebels when the twins were only twelve years old. Except a lot worse. At least back then, we know that Dao was taken. This time we have no clue about what happened to him. Why Dao didn't arrive at the Southern Base like he was supposed to? Why?
"Master Dayu, General Wang was spotted entering the Capital." A senior servant reported to me.
I nodded, "Good. Ready the stable to admit the general's horse and tell the kitchen helpers to prepare an iced refreshment for the general. He must be thirsty from riding to get home," I dismissed that servant after giving my order. Then I got busy readying a change of clothes for my lover and a basin with water and mint for him to wash the dust off his body.
I have to be patient some more. Questioning Captain Wang while he is dusty and tired from his travel won't get me anywhere. I have to make sure my lover is in a right condition to give me answers to all my questions.
I stood by the wide open window of our room and watch as my lover and his horse entered our estate from the North gate. The refreshment was delivered into our room and I readied myself to assist my lover when I saw him enter the entrance of our mansion.
"Dayu ah, I am here..." Captain Wang said as soon as he entered our room."
"Yes, welcome home. Here, let me help you change. There is a drink on the table, you can have that and change into your indoor clothes." I went to my lover to assist him with his sword and armor. Captain Wang gave me a concern filled look. "You must have been overthinking again to put all these preparations for my arrival." He observed.
"Yes, well...my mind has been working tirelessly since I received your letter ten days ago. And being busy is the only reason why I am still sane," I said as I patiently watch my lover splash water on his face, neck, arms and chest to wash the dust away. I handed him a clean cloth to dry himself and hand his robes as well.
Captain Wang took the iced water with lemon and mint to refresh himself before he looked at me. He opened his arms. I gladly took his embrace as my eyes started to tear up, "Please, tell me it isn't so. Tell me that Dao is not missing." I pleaded to him even though I know there is no chance that what I am wishing would be real.
"I'm sorry, my heart." Captain Wang's lips pressed against my temple, confirming my fears. "Dao is not on the Southern Base. In actuality, Wei didn't even receive my letter, warning and explaining to him about Dao's arrival at his base."
I pushed away from my lover so I can look into his face. "What? But why?"
"Someone obviously switched the letter with an empty one. Wei and I spent a whole day investigating what happened and where our son could be. We checked with the department responsible for receiving and sorting the letters on his base and the only envelop that came from the Capital was empty. There was a paper inside but there was nothing written there."
"Nothing? So you were right, someone replaced your letter with an empty one. Who would do that?" I asked in confusion.
Captain Wang sighed, "We suspect Dao did it himself."
I reeled in shock. "No. No!" I back away from my lover. "My son won't be stupid enough to touch an official army correspondence. Dao knows it's a grave crime to meddle in a letter with your name on it. You are the Master General of this whole army! Our son knows that!" My tone came close to shouting.
"That's how daringly stupid your son is!" Captain Wang's brows furrowed together in extreme annoyance as he shouted back at me. "Fearless boy, he really dared touch my letter and switch it all up. Your son...I will beat him within an inch of his life once I got my hands on him." There's a promise on my lover's eyes and tone when he said those words.
I glared at my lover. "You will not lay a hand on my son. Not until I am done with him." I made that clear to my Captain. "What else? What else did you and Wei learn about this antic of Dao?" I asked with a sense of urgency.
"Wei was livid with anger. If only his people told him about the empty letter, he could have sent a letter to me to ask why I sent an empty letter to him. Then we could have been alerted earlier that something is wrong. But no...days has passed without him being aware that Dao should have been under his care." Captain Wang's hands fisted. "Wei and I looked into it some more and we came up with several ideas on what could have happened to Dao. We argued about it until we ended up with only one conclusion about where our son is."
"Where is he? Where is Dao?"
"With Prince Jin. In the Mughal Kingdom." Captain Wang said.
His answer made me laugh...because it all makes sense. It makes perfect sense. "Wang Dao...he..." I turned away from my lover to walk back to the open window and gaze out at our estate. I took several calming breath as my mind settled on a course of action to take. "I will go to the Mughal Kingdom and retrieve Dao myself." I said to my Captain.
"We can't do that. The Emperor forbids it," Captain Wang said.
I turned around fast in surprise. "The Emperor? He knows that Dao is there right now?"
Captain Wang nodded. "I also notified him. The Emperor sent a letter back to me, forbidding me...as well as you...in interfering with Dao. Us going there will pose a threat to Prince Jin as well as to our son. We are not privy on the exact reason of what they are doing there. Dao could be freely exposed and dealing with the people there or he could be in hiding. If we make a ruckus there, our son will have a target on his back and he will be hunted."
I want to go to my lover and slap him. "So what do you suppose I should do? Stay here and stew in worry? Is that it?!" My heart starting going cold in anger. "I will go there. I will get Dao. Try and stop me." I dared my lover in a dangerously low tone.
"Stop it!" Captain Wang shouted as he came to me. He puts his hands on my shoulders to shake me. "I know what you are feeling. He is my son too. I know the desire you have to get him. Don't look at me like that. I don't need the Shadow right now. Think Dayu...Dao is not invited to the Mughal Kingdom. He could be operating there in stealth. He could be branded as a spy. If we reveal that he is there, his life may as well be forfeited to the Shah of that Kingdom."
"Then what are we supposed to do?!" I pushed my lover away in fury. "My son is in danger and you are telling me to sit here like a behaved schoolboy! What are we supposed to do for Dao?!" I think I am slowly going insane with this dilemma we have about our son.
"Send people to help him!" Captain Wang shouted back at me. "I already made the decision to call for Luau. We need people good in stealth to retrieve our son. If Dao won't come, if he is part of a mission there, then those same people can help keep him safe. But my orders will be clear. At the first sign of trouble, they should extract Prince Jin and our son out of there. We will be here to ready for war if it needs to happen."
I felt all my anger washed away at the word he said. "War?"
"Kingdoms go to wars for their Royals." Captain Wang said. "We will of course go to war for Prince Jin. But I am making this clear now Dayu, I will wage a war if my son gets hurt. I will do it. And then you can stay by my side as the Shadow. I will give you free rein to kill anyone you want." A bitter chuckle escaped from Captain Wang's lips. "Not that you need my permission for that but I will still give it to you. But until then, we will avoid war and just keep an eye on the boy."
I moved away from my lover again to sit on the long chair. "I want Dao back in my arms." I said to Captain Wang softly. I suddenly feel tired and sapped of energy. "Where have I gone wrong in raising that boy? Maybe Hua is right, we gave Dao too much freedom and now he is gallivanting around and putting his own life at risk."
"I will discipline him for you, Dayu ah. Just give me time and I will hand Dao to you to do whatever punishment you want to dole on him. Just be patient a little, my heart." Captain Wang sat beside me.
I looked at my lover, "Your children are slowly killing me."
Captain Wang winced. "Well, that is their role. To give us gray hairs." He sighed as he put an arm around my shoulder to pull me closer to him.
I buried my face against my lover's shoulder, "What should we tell Hua? I am afraid of what her reaction will be to this new antics of her brother."
"We will tell her what she needs to know. I think you better keep a good eye on our daughter. We already have one child who had gone rogue, if the other one will do it as well...then we might start looking for an option to obtain new children, Dayu ah. I am about ready to give up and disown them." Captain said.
His words made me look up. Captain Wang smiled at me. I groaned in frustration and punch his belly. Captain Wang made an "uhmp" sound as I push away from him. "Is this the right time for your jests? Our foolish son is in a viper's nest. This is a serious matter!" I want to bring my blades out and see blood. Anyone's blood. But more importantly, the blood of the people annoying me. My lover and son.
"I'm not joking! I'm really on the verge of disowning our children. Dayu ah, do we really deserve this kind of life? Constantly worrying about them? I say, we should let them loose and wash our hands off them. Hua and Dao can finally be free. Let's see how long they will survive on their own and without us taking care of them." Captain Wang snorted in irritation with his children.
"Dao has already let himself loose. He is in the Mughal Kingdom!" I am close to self combusting because of my lover. Why is he making me say the problem out loud?!
Captain Wang snorted, "Your son is operating under the assumption that we love him enough to come and rescue him. I say, let's give him some lesson on taking us for granted. Let's disown him completely."
"I will disown him after I am done breaking every bone in his body," I growled at my lover as I stood up. I look down at Captain Wang with a promise in my heart. "Until then, you better device a plan to keep my son safe in that viper's nest. If Dao gets hurt, the Shadow will emerge and he will hunt you first. My patience is about done, Captain. Keep that in mind." I made that threat clear as I move away from him. I think I want to go out and take in some outside air. I also need to consult with Mei. Mei will help me unravel my thoughts.
I now wish Uncle Shu is still alive. He will help me solve this matter with Dao. No, my Uncle will not just help. He will accompany me to retrieve my son.
Oh Uncle Shu, I miss you so. You are right about Captain Wang. He is nothing but trouble. Him, as well as the children he sired.
"It's not my fault, my heart!" Captain Wang called after me as I open the doors of our room. I ignored his words to get away from him.
Like father, like son and daughter. These Wangs are nothing but trouble to me.
....................
(WANG HUA)
Seeing my parents upset is the only reason why I am not jumping around and telling them that I knew all along that Dao is a big troublemaker.
My twin cannot accuse me of that anymore. He has broken any record I have of giving our parents grief with all my antics. Dao is now the troublemaking child of our parents.
But even so, I couldn't help but feel validated in my belief that my parents has been too forgiving to my brother. And I am not above using this situation to my advantage.
"Dao is in the Mughal Kingdom. So he lied then?" I said to my parents after they called me to the library to break the news to me about my brother going all the way to the South Indes instead of arriving in the Southern Base as was agreed upon.
Father sighed. Baba's expression turned hard. I am starting to pity them. But knowing my parents, I know they won't do anything to thwart whatever it is my brother is doing. Still, I need to hear it from them.
"When will you go there to retrieve Dao?" I asked, already anticipating their negative response.
Father looked at Baba before answering. "We...will not retrieve your brother. Going there with an army and exposing him will only put Dao in more jeapordy."
That's what I thought too. "Ah, so you will just let him be there even though he lied to us. You will just go with what Dao decided to do..."
Baba winces, "Hua..."
"Let me try and enter the Arrow Division." I finally laid out my card on the table. "If you will not pluck Dao out from the Mughal Kingdom where his life is in danger anyway, let me do what I want as well. For heaven's sake, don't rub in my face the way you favor my brother and support all the craziness he does while keeping me locked up here..."
"You are not locked up here," Father argued passionately. "Hua..."
"I might as well be." I said coldly. "Why not do that? If you won't let me try to be accepted in the Arrow Division of the Army, just lock me up in my room or else I will do a Dao and disappear as well."
Father and Baba sat straighter and regard me in muted irritation. Then Baba nodded, "Fine. Do what you want to do." He waved a hand at me.
"Captain!" Father's eyes widened in surprise while I did my best to suppress my glee.
Baba sighed as he turned to Father, "Last month, you tried to convince me to see it her way. Now I am seeing it her way..."
"That was before I knew that her brother is missing!" Father growled. They started arguing before my eyes. "Dao is already in a precarious situation. If Hua will be in deliberate danger too, why not just stab me and end my misery?"
"Talk to your daughter then! This is her decision." Baba argued back. "She is clearly taking advantage of the fact that Dao dared to disobey us and do his will. She will feel it will be too unfair if we will restrict him while we couldn't get her brother," Baba rubbed a hand on his forehead like it's aching. Maybe it is.
Father turned his worried eyes on me, "Hua...please..."
"Baba is right," I cut my Father's protest on my plans. "Dao is free to do what he wants, it's only fair if you will let me do what I want. I won't ask you to support me...all I'm asking is for you both not to stand on my way."
"Forget that," Baba gave me an intensely threatening look. "Let me tell you about Dao's last test to pass as the Crown Prince's guard. He and I engaged in a combat in front of the Imperial Family. I stood in your brother's path of getting that position. I threw him around, pummeled him with my fists and broke almost every bone in his body. He was bedridden for days and needed weeks to completely heal. I almost killed your brother in that fight. Don't think I won't do the same to you," Baba said.
Both Father and I gasped at that story. Baba snickered. "Dao once accused me of letting you win in combat practice while I always beat him. And he is right. You know he is right. I sometimes let you have a victory against me. But you want fairness now, then I will give you fairness. You will need to work as hard as your brother and be as clever as him to get my mercy and let you pass." Baba stood from his chair. "Let's see if that Wang strength my blood bestowed on you is really useless." He added before walking out of the library.
Father and I were left in the library. He sighed, "You and Dao are both fools. Do you really think you both can push your Baba unrelentlessly like this and expect him not to push back? Look at me, Hua. You know how daring I could be but let me tell you, there are times I am still wary of challenging your Baba. Well congratulations, Daughter...we are now accepting your challenge." He stood up from his chair as well. "Know that as you take that step to being part of the Arrow Division, you are still obligated to learn how to be a proper wife to a Prince."
My eyes widened, "But I already ended that engagement!" I protested adamantly. When will they accept the fact that my engagement with Jin is now over?
Have you accepted the fact that it is over? Foolish girl.
I ignored the inner voice in my head, my conscience, pointing out my lies for me.
"It's not over as long as the Emperor won't recognize that engagement ending. Your wedding to Prince Jin will commence. Just know that..." Father replied evenly after snickering.
I felt my anger boiling inside me. "That's unfair! You and Baba will really make this hard for me!" I want to stomp my foot and throw a tantrum they accuse me of being good at.
"Life is unfair! The world is unfair, Hua!" Father scowled at me. "If the world is fair, you and your brother will
listen to us, your parents. But no, you two are determine to have your ways. Well, go on then...go out and live in this unfair world. No one will hand you a victory in this world, Hua. You will be playing with a different set of rules now. Best of luck to you. But keep in mind, you will only have that victory after you defeat me and your Baba." He said before moving to walk out of the library as well.
I was left in the library feeling like this time, I think I managed to truly anger my parents.
I sighed.