Chapter 83
Dao
Nevoria
After a long time of traveling, they were now in the outskirts of the Capital. Dao was nervous, still not sure what to expect, though it was evident that if they did not play their cards right, it was the end that they were living in.
"Are you all right?" Luo Meng held her hand tightly as he helped her avoid toppling over the rocks on the cliff top.
"Yes, of course. Just a little bit cold."
"Not to worry. We are almost there."
She nodded as she inhaled the fresh air bestowed to them by the cascading waterfall that took advantage of the valley between the opposite cliff tops.
"Look at that." Dao pointed at the cliff opposite theirs. "There is a house there!"
Luo Meng smiled. "No, it's not a house, that is the Black Sword Academy's library."
"Really? What is the academy for? I see that there are people playing there and enjoying the scenery of the waterfall." She attempted to pull him. "Do you think we can go over there and watch with them from that side? I'm sure it looks better from there than here."
"No, we are not allowed to trespass that side of the land. Let's keep going."
"Why?" She almost stumbled due to his increased pace.
"Be careful." He steadied her again.
"You still have not told me why."
"The land belongs to His Majesty's swordmaster and he is a private person who has set rules against any trespassers."
"What a shame then." How disappointing it was.
She gaped over and couldn't help feeling a little jealous. The people there seemed to be the happiest, playing around with each other and speaking over one other at the top of their voices.
"Wait..." She came to a dead end.
"Dao, at this rate we will get to the Capital at sunset and find the gates closed, thus we will sleep outside. Stop dragging your feet!" Luo Meng snapped.
"Wait, Luo Meng... wait... Isn't that my mistress there?"
"What?"
"Right there!" She pointed to a woman on the back of a man carrying her and being swayed back and forth. "It really looks like Li Lian, but I must be imagining it. My mistress is not allowed to leave the palace, and being on top of a man who isn't the emperor is just disgraceful.
"Are you sure it looks like your mistress?" Luo Meng was limited to help her by his condition.
"It really does look like her, but knowing her situation, I may be wrong... Let's go."
"If it's her then we could as well go there and greet her."
"But you said it is trespassing, and what if it's her? What will I say as an excuse for being with you out of the palace?"
"Didn't you say she likes you and therefore trusts you? I don't think it will be a big issue, and forget about trespassing as we are acquainted with her after all. Come on, let's just go the other way round and confirm it."
They then took the snaking paths back to where they came from so that they could go to the other side. It was where they had passed the crossing bridge linking to the other cliff top.
"It really is her!" Dao exclaimed as soon as they were off the bridge. "My Lady!" she excitedly screamed and got out of Luo Meng's grip as she ran.
Li Lian twirled around as she climbed off the back of the man who carried her. Her eyes widened at the sight of her. Definitely, Dao in front of her was something quite unexpected.
"Dao?"
"It is I, My Lady!" Dao leapt into the arms of her mistress, excitedly. "Mistress, I missed you so much," she laughed happily, feeling content.
"Dao, what are you doing here?" Li Lian did not sound as happy.
"Greetings, Li Lian." Luo Meng smiled at her mistress. It was a first for Dao to see him smile at Li Lian. Probably, the time they had been gone had softened him a lot.
"Luo... Meng... Dao..." Li Lian ran her fingertips through her hair, panic and discomfort evident in her demeanor.
Dao could also not understand why Li Lian had her hair down. She was an imperial woman and therefore should be refined at all times, her hair tied. Only the citizens had the duty to have unpinned hair before the emperor reigned for a total of five years.
"What are you two doing here?" Li Lian finally made a coherent sentence.
Dao glanced at Luo Meng for help.
"We were sent by the palace to come to look for you. Remember, I have a condition that does not enable me to recognise faces, thus His Majesty granted permission on me coming with Dao."
"Yes, we were looking for you." Dao muttered after Luo Meng, not knowing what he meant by such words. Why must they search for her? However, from being in so many places on the run, Dao was accustomed to following the lead of Luo Meng on everything.
Li Lian's face fell. "They are still looking for me? Even now?"
The young man who had been carrying Li Lian approached them and rested on Li Lian with his arm over her shoulder.
"We have guests? Please introduce them to us, Li Lian." He genuinely smiled. "Fang Qing is my name, who are you?"
"Don't touch her! You are risking her life by acting so casually like she is a woman not belonging to His Majesty," Dao couldn't help setting the young man straight. It annoyed her that someone would play with her mistress' life like that.
"Who are you?" Fang Qing was clearly annoyed.
"Fang Qing, go away." Li Lian pushed him from them. "Go back to the others." She pointed at the rest who were sparring with each other for the betterment of their sword skills.
"As you have asked," Fang Qing replied, sour about being excluded.
Dao skeptically glanced at Luo Meng, who was grinning, quite apparent that he enjoyed every moment of this. Reason why, Dao was not sure.
"Luo Meng, Dao," Li Lian began, "I need your help."
"Depends," Luo Meng smirked.
Li Lian swallowed hard. "Please don't tell them you saw me here? I'd rather have you act like you could not find me, please."
"Mistress... why?"
"Dao." She took her shoulders. "Woman to woman, was I ever free in that place? How can I go back?"
"But His Majesty―"
"Please, I beg of you."
"The palace has never been a place that many women like, I understand you Li Lian." Luo Meng took her side.
What is it that he knew to make him less rattled by the situation?
"So you will not tell?" Li Lian was hopeful toward Luo Meng.
He grinned. "What do you take me for? Of course not."
Li Lian exhaled in relief. "Thank you so much.
"Aiyah, Li Lian." Luo Meng informally took her hand into his. "You probably have suffered, why should we make it harder for yoy? Just go on and relax here, treating yourself with no worries. You deserve to rest."
They then continued to converse, speaking of how Li Lian ended there, the massacre at the palace, and Gurio's assassinations. Li Lian asked Dao where she was during that time and she just said "she had fallen sick at home," as an excuse.
What was weird, was how Luo Meng seemed updated about what had happened when they were gone. Dao guessed that he had kept things from her so as to protect her from anxiety while she was sick. He was such a considerate man.
And so was her mistress who organized good food for them before they could leave, introduced them to her companions who she called "juniors" and even showed them around the library. They also got to enjoy the scene of the speckles of light in the waterfall that created a rainbow and the fog that swam over the mountains.
When they separated, Dao could still not wrap her head around the situation. So many things had taken place when they were gone.
"I am so glad we were not there when they invaded the palace. Because of it, you are safe." Luo Meng lovingly kissed Dao's forehead after they again crossed the bridge.
"Me too." She rather kissed his lips. "But if my mistress is not in the palace, why should I go back? We too would be safer away from the palace."
"Dao," Luo Meng sighed. "Unlike her, remember you are not well. We need you to have the best physicians at your disposal. Besides, didn't Li Lian ask you to look after Ai in the palace?"
Dao rubbed her arms, huddling herself in the snow-white wool coat Li Lian had given her when they were together. She could indeed protect Ai since she had many connections in the palace, due to having grown up there.
"You are right but it's still annoying. Besides, why are you so happy after seeing Li Lian? Weren't you on bad terms with her beforehand?"
He laughed. "It's nothing, sweet Dao. I just realised that life is good, so why not enjoy it?" He then pulled her and tongued her mouth. "Do not worry, there is nothing for us to worry about now."
S.V