"Liang He?" Xieren was confused by this sudden admission. He had been wholly convinced that he would be struck down only a moment before, but now? What was going through Liang He's mind?

  "Liang He? What is going on?" Climbing back onto his feet, he once more found himself staring into those dark, black eyes. While they had seemed hard and cold a moment prior, they now held a glint of something. Xieren could only guess what, but if he had to, he would say regret.

  "There are some things, Your Highness, that are better left unsaid."

  "If that's your answer, I think we're going to be having problems from this point on, Liang He." Though his tone was stern, his face was soft with worry. Liang He was the one who had stressed they needed trust, despite his difficult attitude, but now it felt that their roles had reversed. "Liang He, what are your intentions? What are you planning?"

  The tall youth had folded his arms, his attention seemingly locked onto the fire. After contemplating the situation, he finally answered, "Not now. Maybe later."

  What sort of...

  "I will tell you now, Your Highness," taking Xieren's wounded hand in his own, Liang He said, "I have done terrible things to people. And for that, I must keep going." With a trained ease, Liang He began to unwrap the bandages around Xieren's wrist. Frozen in his spot, all Xieren could do was ask, "Will you tell me what things?"

  "Of course not. For being such a bright prince, you can be dumb as an egg."

  "Mm... Maybe I deserve that..." Xieren was filled with inner conflict. Liang He was a difficult character, a kind he had never before encountered, and one who was very dangerous.

  "I suppose I should say," Liang He muttered, "sorry?"

  "If you say it like that, you don't sound sorry."

  "Well, I'm sorry my apologies are not up to your standards, Your Highness."

  "We're getting off track."

  As Liang He had removed everything from Xieren's wrist, the prince pulled away. "Are you going to tell me what's going on? What kind of person are you? What did you do to the xiao gui?"

  "You're still worried about them?"

  "I'm worried about you. What you're capable of."

  "Oh. That's right." Refolding his arms, his head fell to the side, sizing Xieren up with a narrowed gaze. "Between the two of us, I suppose I, myself am the true monster." Taking a large step closer, he grabbed Xieren by his shoulders. "What is the worst you have ever done, Your Highness?"

  "Liang He, I will hurt you if you don't stop!"

  "What is the worst you can do, Your Highness?"

  "Liang He!"

  Xieren's heart drummed over and over in his ears. He felt as if he would pass out, so before that could happen, as Liang He went to speak, Xieren pulled his shoulder from Liang He's grip and—

  Crack!

  Across Liang He's face, Xieren's hand whipped by, the sting burning both of them. Immediately after, Xieren moved back, reaching for his sword and drawing it in one, swift move. "I won't hesitate!"

  A stretch of quiet filled the site, and in an instant, Liang He dropped to a crouch. Xieren was stunned. He wasn't sure what to think. Liang He just collapsed?

  There was no further response from the thief, and thus, Xieren dropped down as well, plunging the tip of his jian into the earth and resting his head against the hilt.

  This strange silence dragged on. Occasionally, the only interruption was Liang He tossing more wood into the fire when he noticed it go down, but aside from this, there was nothing. Xieren argued with himself, wondering what to do. If they didn't speak, fine. But if they didn't speak, progressing through this journey would become far too difficult! They needed each other clearly! There was only one thing he could think to say, but when he went to speak, a knot would form in his belly. He couldn't do it. He didn't really know this man. He didn't know what he was planning, what he wanted, his past, or even his present. He never should have agreed to this!

  "So," he said in a low voice. "We're both monsters?"

  "I am doubtful," Liang He replied, pushing a piece of wood around the fire. "I don't believe you ever killed anyone because you wanted to."

  Xieren felt his stomach turn, but he persevered. "You're so secretive, so I can't say anything to that," he sighed, looking down at his knees, "but at least you weren't a shining star that burned away."

  "..."

  "You don't have to tell me anything, I've come to realize that you won't say anything. But still, let me ask this now." Xieren withheld the urge to look up. "Do you trust me?"

  "..."

  "..."

  "Your Highness," Liang He's voice rose from a near whisper, "None of this is... It is not a matter of trust."

  Xieren had hoped to get something out of this, but all he got was an uncertain feeling. The voice was the same, but the way the words were said felt strangely different. Xieren was unsure whether Liang He was telling the truth.

  "Alright. I see."

  "You are a very nosy prince, Your Highness."

  "Can you blame me?"

  "No, I suppose not." Only vaguely was there a chuckle in the thief's voice. "If I must say something, then I will say...that I mean for no harm to come to you. That I swear." Xieren could hold back no longer, and from his crouch he peered over to Liang He. Liang He, whose vision was set firmly on the fire burning away in the pit. The warm lights danced and flickered over his finely sculpted features, revealing the complicated mixture of a handsome and intelligent, yet terrifying and dangerous man. Or, so the rumors say.

  "Perhaps," Xieren pulled his blade from the soil before returning it to its scabbard. "Perhaps we have...more in common than we thought?"

  "I do not believe that, Your Highness," Liang He disagreed without pause. "I believe you are thinking that we may have a chance to understand one another due to mere...similarities over true common ground." His expression remained unreadable, yet a flicker of warmth much like the fire had appeared. "Not that I have any problem with that. It's borderline humorous."

  "Humorous?"

  "A messy no-good thief and the prince of a beloved empire? Quite a pair."

  "I can see that." The previous silence was quick to reclaim the site. Having noticed how late it was, Liang He opted to finish watching over their camp for the night. Xieren wanted to disagree, but after the way things had just played out, he kept his mouth closed and nodded.

  "Your Highness?"

  "Hmm?"

  "... Sweet dreams."

  Day had come as silently as the rabbits of the forest. Xieren had been fast asleep, lying peacefully on the cool earth. No cloth atop him, only the clothes he had worn since the day they first set out on this strange quest.

  Woken by Liang He, the two worked together to pack away their things. The silence was heavy, awkward and almost distracting to Xieren. Though it had seemed like things should have been patched up between them, it didn't actually feel like it. Liang He had only briefly told Xieren that he would go hunting later—an attempt to try and replace the food Xieren had offered to the xiao gui—and this declaration did not make the prince feel any better. Besides this, Xieren still clutched that overbearing uncertainty close. Though Liang He claimed to have no ill will in terms of the prince, that didn't make the point of the journey on his end any more obvious.

  But, we already agreed that his business is his own. Xieren was left to sigh as he repeated this line like a mantra. I have my own goals, and those are the ones I need to worry about...

  Wandering further into the underbrush, the pair observed the area surrounding them with intense focus. By this point, Liang He had no inner map of this plot of forest, to Xieren's utter horror, so they were left to carve out a path through trial and error, which was easier said than done.

  Traversing the wilderness, the forest went from a dry monotony of green and brown to a bustling collective of colors. Flowers had started sprouting up all around them in varying sizes and shapes. Xieren had found Nanshan to be a terrifying, dreary place when he had first arrived those five years ago. After only a year, he had become bored and unaffected by the scenery. But this, with these sprouting flowers and vines crawling along the trees was something that he had never seen. Nothing from Shanhua could even compare to the beauty he was witnessing in this cursed forest. Xieren had wanted to speak up, but there was no chance Liang He hadn't seen this bright display.

  As they continued through the plants, Xieren noticed the rustling and movement of a bush at his left. For a moment, he wondered what this could be, but almost that very instant he realized. As he reached out to part the branches, three faces popped out at him.

  "You three!?"

  If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

  The xiao gui from their campsite, all three of them had squeezed themselves into this bush. Before Xieren could ask questions, that familiar large hand grabbed his back.

  "Your Highness." Turning to Liang He's voice, he was taken aback by the sight of a strikingly red flower. Liang He held it gingerly between his fingers, its petals gently plumed and fluttering as it spun.

  "What's that for?"

  "Here." Without an ounce of reluctance, Liang He tucked the flower into Xieren's collar. While it wasn't small, it wasn't too large, nor too distracting to the prince as it tenderly caressed his collar.

  "Think of it as a luck charm."

  "What? Is this necessary, Liang He?"

  "Not necessary. But fun. Don't you think?" Liang He's eyes dropped down to the spot of red in Xieren's palette of black and gold. "It looks nice on you."

  Xieren rose a brow as he tried to take a peek at it, but he couldn't see it. Relenting to this fate, he sighed and nodded his thanks. Just then, he recalled the three hiding in the bush. Thinking up an excuse, he told Liang He that he dropped something in it and needed to grab it quick. Turning back, Xieren knelt down and whispered to the crouching three, "What are you doing here?"

  "Your Highness," the one with the highest voice said, "We wish to repay your kindness!"

  "Yes, yes," said the second one. "We saw your injury and want to give you this!"

  The third reached out and grabbed Xieren's hands in its own. He could feel something brittle and small being slipped into his palm before it pulled away. He was incredibly curious, but returned his attention to the three yao. "Thank you...?"

  "You have our gratitude, Your Highness!"

  "You saved us from that terrifying creature!"

  "Thank you! Thank you!"

  "May we meet again, Your Highness!" The three nodded in unison before sinking into the bushes, fading away. Xieren blinked once, twice, then peered down at his hand.

  Is this...bark? His brows were perked in interest, but rather than question it, he rose to his feet. Liang He had been standing by a patch of flowers when Xieren turned back to him. Having heard Xieren's movement, Liang He spun back to face the prince. In the warm rays of light pouring through the trees above, the whole cove appeared to be something magical, and Xieren had only just noticed the way everything seemed to glow.

  "Your Highness?"

  "Ah?" Xieren shook himself from his amazement. Liang He had approached and was looking at the object in Xieren's hands. "What's this?"

  "Ah, I... It may be...du zhong, I think."

  "Hm?" Liang He's eyes went wide, though Xieren wasn't sure the exact reason why. Liang He continued, "I didn't realize there was any here. If that's the case..." Liang He took the bark from Xieren's hand and looked over it with a severe intensity.

  I read all about plants and trees at the palace, Xieren thought to himself, but the only reason I made that assumption was because of what the xiao gui said. I'm not sure mentioning that part is a good idea...

  "Where did you find this, Your Highness?"

  "Ah... It was..."

  "Just lying in that bush, chopped up and cleaned off just for you to find? I see. I suppose that flower is working wonders for you already. How good for you." With a knowing smirk, Liang He turned and peered around the area, as if searching for something.

  Xieren, realizing the point in Liang He's words, simply slumped. "I didn't think you would have missed their presence."

  "Who?" Liang He asked. Xieren almost thought he was serious.

  "Don't play with me, Liang He. If you're sensitive enough to notice things I can't, you had to have realized the xiao gui in the bush."

  Though Liang He said not a word, the itch at his lips and the squinting of his eyes said enough. Moving on, he said, "Let's pause here for now. We can prepare the du zhong for you, that way things from here on should be easier on your hand."

  Crouching down in a corner of the cove, Liang He searched around for ways to start a fire, but the brush and plants were too clustered. Instead, he simply sighed and rose to his feet. "Let's move a little further in. We don't want to set Nanshan on fire."

  Xieren agreed.

  After one incense time, the pair found themselves a clear, open space, and within less, Liang He got to work. With Xieren insisting on helping, they set up a fire pit and a small flame danced to life—diminutive as a newborn, but with the intensity of great ancestor, and warming the du zhong in a boiling embrace. Around the pair, the forest was calm and hummed with the life of birdsong to accompany the muttered pops of the dwarf fire. Xieren melted into this nearly mythical peace.

  When the mixture was done, Liang He took Xieren's bandages and soaked them within the mixture before re-wrapping his wrist. Xieren felt uncomfortable with the damp wrapping, but put up with it regardless. Du zhong was supposed to be great for the body and for injuries, so this was a pleasant leap toward healing up.

  When all was said and done, the two breathed sighs of relief. "How does that feel, Your Highness?"

  "It's fine," he mumbled as he looked over Liang He's handiwork. "I was wondering something though, if I may ask."

  "I cannot guarantee an answer, but go ahead." Dropping his chin to his hand, a light, troublesome smirk reappeared. Xieren ignored this. "What exactly do you think of me?"

  "What do you mean?" Liang He's brow arched.

  "For that brief moment in time I was gege, now it's Your Highness again. Which one is it?" Liang He had frozen, as if he had not heard a word of what Xieren had said, but after a short time, he slowly blinked. "I find you... I am...drawn to you...so to speak." Xieren unintentionally rose a brow, his mouth sinking as he sucked on his cheek. "And?"

  "And," Liang He mimicked. "And I respect you."

  "I find that hard to believe."

  "It is true, Your Highness," a light smirk showed as he twisted the small bowl around in his hand. "I could not call you gege again after what I did to you. Teasing you for my amusement is one thing, but I haven't the place to call you such a familiar name after my behavior toward you." Xieren could only listen now, fully invested in what Liang He was saying, and once Liang He stopped, Xieren had to take some time to think of a response. He wasn't sure how truthful Liang He was, but hearing this was enough. At this point, he knew he needed to stop questioning things, otherwise their progress would come to a complete standstill!

  "If that's so, then allow me to clear something up," Liang He perked up. "I don't want you to call me Your Highness anymore. I'm not a prince, I haven't been for six years..." A brief feeling of emptiness washed over him. A painful emptiness. But Xieren swallowed it down. "Call me what you will, but not Your Highness. Understand?" Liang He's hand had crawled from resting under his chin to nearly blocking the entirety of his lower face. Regardless, the widening of his normally slim eyes was pronounced. The silence had returned briefly before Liang He scoffed. "Let me see if I understand you. You want to be gege again? Is that right?"

  "That's—"

  "Don't feel ashamed now, gege. I am perfectly fine with it. So then," Liang He promptly switched tones, alerting Xieren to an immediate change in topic.

  How...like him...

  "Now that we have that settled, your wrist has been rebandaged and we're good on food again, I think it's about time we got moving." With a slight feeling of relief, Xieren heartily agreed, and the pair climbed to their feet and went on their way.

  Some kind of progress was made, I guess. Xieren hummed to himself as complicated feelings toiled about inside of him. Regardless, they were moving forward, at least he hoped so. The better they understood one another, the easier this journey would be, and the quicker they would reach their goals.

  It was hard to decipher the exact amount of time they had been moving, but still they remained among the gloriously blossoming, translucent flowers. Liang He and Xieren took careful, eased strides through the expansive fields that looked as if they had dropped down from the heavens and plunged within the forest walls. It was as if they had stepped into another world at some point on their journey, yet neither minded. Every now and then, Xieren would recall the flower tucked gently into his collar and a strange feeling would come over him. Though Liang He's talk of the flower being a lucky charm seemed like total nonsense, Xieren couldn't help but find a sense of comfort in the idea. Having been exiled and betrayed by his own family, this felt like a little scarlet ray of hope in the darkness he had so easily allowed to consume him.

  If we're together, he had started thinking, maybe we can really do this. Maybe there is a chance. With these ideas going through his mind, he was only brought back to his current situation by the rustling of plants. A cluster of flower specked bushes had begun wiggling. Again? Fully expecting to see the three xiao gui like before, he stopped and turned, but to his surprise, it was only a little fox. "Ah..." Xieren watched in awe as the little fox scampered away from them and into a cluster of trees.

  "Gege? What is it?" Liang He had stopped when he noticed Xieren lagging behind.

  "It was that fox again."

  "Again? How do you know it's the same one? Actually...the same one from when?" Though Xieren was confident it was the same, he had no answer for why. "I... I don't know how, I just have a feeling it's the same one from yesterday."

  "From yesterday?" Liang He folded his arms, his head falling to the side. "I don't remember that."

  Of course, he doesn't. "Well, it doesn't matter if you remember or not," despite saying this, he shook his head in displeasure, as if he was a parent disappointed in their child. This made Liang He smile.

  "The point is," Xieren said, "I think we should follow it."

  "I'm right behind you, gege." Though initially surprised by Liang He's willingness, Xieren nodded in agreement and promptly set off in the direction of the fox. As they followed its path, Liang He asked, "Why do you feel it a good idea to follow? Isn't it likely that the fox is leading us into a trap?"

  "It's a possibility," Xieren admitted, his focus on the winding path of trees, "But I don't think it would do that. And even if it does—"

  "I'll kill it."

  "Don't kill it."

  In mere seconds, Xieren spotted that same fox again, this time waiting in front of a cliff face. They were a mere five meters from the creature when it darted away again. Xieren ran after, but the direction it had run simply traced the cliff before cutting off at a thick treeline. If it had squeezed in there, they wouldn't find it.

  "Now what? It's a dead end."

  "..." Xieren peered down at his feet before looking up at the cliff as it towered over them in an amazing display of power and authority. Buds of flowers sprouted here and there as if it were embracing children.

  "Maybe...we have to climb it."

  "Are you sure about this?" The fact that Liang He said this made Xieren nervous, but it had been so long since he felt such an intense feeling of hope. It was as if the gods were sending him signs and he would be a fool to ignore them!

  "I'm sure."

  "And you can climb this cliffside?"

  "I don't believe so."

  The stoicism and pure, full-fledged seriousness of Xieren's response nearly forced a laugh from Liang He, but he held himself back. "I see, I see. Alright then. Allow me to aid you, gege."

  Xieren had assumed it would take no time at all for him to get adjusted to climbing, but he was wrong. He struggled to find good footing, and his fingers struggled to hold onto barely existent ledges. Liang He had initially found it amusing, but as Xieren's clumsy movements began to hinder their progress, he believed it was time to lend a hand.

  Dropping down to ground level beside his companion, Liang He, deciding explanations weren't good enough, opted to show.

  "This ledge here looks good. Try this." Taking Xieren's hand in his own, Liang He maneuvered it to a nearby ledge and clamped his companion's fingers over it. "You're strong, gege. You have good upper body strength, so use it." This cycle went on for a while before Xieren started to get a grasp on climbing. Though this teaching style felt somewhat awkward to him, Xieren found it very helpful. Before either of them realized it, they were scaling their way up the cliffside.

  "You've done this a lot, is that correct, Liang He?"

  "That's not wrong," responded Liang He with a smirk. "I have experience."

  "That I can see." Xieren grunted as he struggled to reach the next ledge, but after feeling around for a bit, he managed to find one and pull himself further. This went on for a brief period before both men had successfully reached the top.

  Xieren was in a momentary state of shock, then a slow flood of pride came over him. This was his second major accomplishment. Granted, with the aid of Liang He, but that didn't take away any of his excitement. Liang He could see the glint of joy in Xieren's deep blue gaze. "You did something pretty amazing just now, gege."

  "Ah. R-right." Clearing his throat, Xieren proceeded more seriously, climbing to a stand as he did. "Now that we're up here..." Scanning the area, it was just trees. More trees. Less flowers.

  "Now that we're up here?" Liang He's tone held a hint of mockery in it, but Xieren wouldn't allow this to deter him. "Now that we're up here... Let's go this way."

  "After you."

  With a sense of unease filling his stomach, Xieren took up his new mantle as leader and led Liang He deeper into the forest. How did this even happen?