“ZaiWin!”

He looked back and saw a red-haired girl doing her best to squeeze herself through the crowd and reach him, her pale cheeks blushed, her forehead gleaming with sweat. He halted for a moment, allowing her to catch up with him, and then resumed walking.

“Uff!” she sighed, wiping her forehead to her tunic’s sleeves. “I finally found you!” ZaiWin took a peek at her and she gave him a bright smile. “I saw you before, when we gathered, but then you were gone. You were really fast,” she complimented him and looked ahead, at the column marching in front of them. “Do you think we’ll have to walk much longer? I mean, it’s getting kind of dark, and they said that we would still have to make camp. I doubt they’ll have tents ready for us.”

He doubted they’d have tents at all, he thought but didn’t say anything, not wanting to discourage her more than she already sounded.

“Even if we end up having to march during night hours, we will still be fairly safe. There are no dangerous wild animals in these woods. And we are being guarded by at least two dozen men,” he declared, wanting to reassure her, and her blue eyes widened in disbelief.

“Really?” she wondered, looking left and right as if expecting to see the things he had just mentioned. “You know where we are? And how can you tell about the men? I only see the Yu Calzai and four others from his squad.”

“Even if you can’t see them, that doesn’t mean they’re not there. And from the sizes of the trees and the moist of the air we’re probably in the forest that makes up the border between the Provinces of Sur and Pon.”

“Sur?! But isn’t that a Province without Governor?” she asked, fear seeping into her words, and he nodded.

“So it is. But although they haven’t had an official Governor for a few years now, they still managed to maintain global order. Their villages work almost as independent states and they have formed peaceful relationships with each other, and with the surrounding Provinces. So it remains a relatively peaceful place, free from corruption, war or disease.”

He wished his Nox had been so lucky.

NimRen looked at him for a long while and ended up smiling again.

“You’ve really grown up. Before you were always blushing, always too shy, afraid to speak your mind,” she declared with admiration in her voice and he couldn’t help blush just a little bit at her compliment.

“We’re all supposed to grow up.”

“Well, yeah. I guess so. It’s just that I keep feeling that you’ve changed a lot. Not in a bad way, I mean. It was just unexpected.”

Unexpected?! He almost smiled bitterly at the word and had to chew the insides of his mouth to remain silent and not tell her exactly what he thought about that. After all, Wen NimRen had nothing to do with what his life had become, he thought looking up at her, at her bright eyes and beautiful, innocent smile.

“You, on the other hand, haven’t change at all,” he declared and she immediately pouted.

“That’s hardly a nice thing to say about a young lady who you haven’t seen at all in the past six years!”

He blushed again, suddenly reminded of how much she had actually changed, her body now presenting all the female curves a woman should have, and averted his gaze, fixing his attention on their guide.

“That’s not what I meant. I mean that you’re still too nice to everyone.”

“Not everyone!” she immediately countered. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. You’re like my little brother.”

“And that’s another reason why I say you haven’t changed. You still don’t know what’s best for you. If you knew you wouldn’t be hanging around with me.”

“As if I care about that!”

“You may not care, but Wen CalWan most certainly will. And FeiWan won’t lose the opportunity to make you pay for it,” he declared. What he didn’t tell her was that he, more than her, would have to do the paying.

“I can very well deal with my brother. And as for FeiWan he’d better stick to his buddies! Or this time I’ll really get angry at him!” she announced, all false bravado, he knew. But he still couldn’t help feeling warm inside at the thought that, even though he was more than aware that she would never be able to, just like before, she still wished to protect him.

“Well, if you say so, then let’s deal with them together when the time comes.”

She smiled happily and nodded, her expression immediately brightening up.

“I’m really glad I had the chance to see you again. At first I didn’t want to attend this Gathering at all. Mother kept telling us that this is all about the honor of the Clan and showing the other Provinces just how strong we are. But every Gathering there a few kids that never make it back. This kind of violent event, I really didn’t want to be apart of it at all. But then I heard that the Governor of Nox would also be coming. I was so happy! I could hardly believe it. All these years I always wanted to get in touch with you, to know how you were doing. But they wouldn’t allow me to even send you a message.”

Which was to be expected, he thought, forcing a smile for her benefit.

“I’ve been fine. The Province of Nox, though poor, is rather calm and uneventful,” he lied. “And ZenTar has been taking care of me. He has taught me all sorts of things, and so I’ve just been living quietly and in peace.”

“ZenTar?” she wondered, frowning even though her smooth forehead refused to form any wrinkles, and then her expression brightened up again. “Oh! I think I remember him! He was that soldier, right? The one that always got in trouble for leaving the training grounds and entering the Inner Palace without authorization. He always went to see you.” ZaiWin nodded. “But isn’t he from the Zai Province?” He nodded again. “Oh, I see. So he decided to stay with you and help you out,” she sighed and smiled. “That’s good. I was worried that you might be all alone.”

No, he wasn’t alone. And ZenTar had done much more than simply stay with him and help him. He had saved his life. And he had relinquished everything that was righteously his to become a mere servant, sworn to obey the Governor of the Province of Nox, even though he had been a mere six-year-old child at the time. He knew above anything else that he would never be able to repay that debt.

NimRen took a deep breath and stretched her back.

“My feet are starting to hurt. Aren’t we there yet?”

He took a look at her, at her pale face. She did look tired. Which was to be expected, since he was sure that NimRen had never been allowed outside the Palace’s training grounds.

Grabbing her backpack he tried to pull it off her frail shoulders.

“Give it to me. I’ll carry it.”

“No way! I can still carry my own things!” she argued, holding on to the straps, but he pulled at it again.

“Just give it to me. I’ll just carry it for a bit until you get some of your strength back,” he retorted and she smiled, her cheeks adorably flushed.

“Well, aren’t you the gentlemen,” she purred and laughed when he blushed all the way to his ears. Finally yielding, she allowed him to help her take off her backpack, sighing in relief when she straightened her back again. “Thank you. I promise it’s only for a little while.”

He nodded, slipping one arm through one of the straps and pulled it over his shoulder, trying to keep up with their guide’s marching speed.