Bai Li’s protective instincts surged as he watched the grief-stricken scene. ili’s pain was palpable.
Quietly, he stepped out from the bamboo that masked his presence, careful not to intrude without warning.
i Sunren glanced over his shoulder at him, his expression pained at his helplessness in the face of his sister’s grief.
Bai Li’s gaze fell on the cairn, and his heart sank as he jumped to the most likely conclusion about the occupant.
He moved closer to the pair; the crunch of rocks and bamboo leaves underfoot announcing his arrival.
"ili," he said softly, his voice filled with sympathy.
i Sunren stepped aside, leaving the clearing without any words, just letting Bai Li kneel beside ili, knowing that the Commander’s presence would offer his ii comfort.
For a mont, neither of them spoke. Bai Li’s hand rested lightly on ili’s shoulder, offering her his care and sympathy.
He didn’t need her to explain anything. Tricky’s tablet lay before them, carved by i Sunren.
"ili," he said gently, pulling a handkerchief from his sleeve and tenderly drying her eyes, "Tricky was killed," he said, a statent not a question.
She nodded, the corners of her mouth quivering with the effort of holding back her sobs.
He pulled her to his chest, wrapping her in his cloak.
"Oh ili. I know how much you loved that dog. He was very special. What happened?"
"We were attacked by a group of bandits," she wept. "T...there were six of them against the two of us," she explained. "Tricky died saving . He wouldn’t stay out of it, Li," she wailed. "You know him, you’ve seen him protect !"
"He died protecting the person that was his whole world. Trust , he lead a full and beautiful life. He was a very lucky dog. Now he’s not in pain, and he most definitely won’t want you to be sad. I know it’s hard but try not to be too upset. Rember the good tis you had with him and the amazing life that he lead."
She sniffled against his chest, her eyes closed, clutching his handkerchief, and taking comfort in this brief mont that she was wrapped in his strong arms.
She pulled back from him when she had managed to regain her composure.
"You’re right, Li. It’s just very fresh and I miss him so very much. But I’m trying to think of all of the wonderful tis we spent together and commit them all to mory, so that I don’t forget anything."
"Good girl. You’re stronger than you imagine. I’ll help you collect all of those happy mories and write them on a scroll so you can’t forget them. After we put this battle behind us and can get married."
She nodded, "that would be nice, Li. Thank you. Ti to get back on the road now," she pushed herself to her feet wearily, taking a last look at Tricky’s tablet before walking back towards the column of n. Bai Li followed closely behind her.
She knew they had no ti to waste here, despite her loss. The Emperor’s life was at stake. So was Zhu Yicai’s. And the Dragon Throne, that glittering prize, was at risk of being snatched by a man they all knew would be a terrible king.
Bai Li watched her from behind with concern. He had known sothing was wrong from the mont he saw her, but he mistook it for the stress of her escape from the palace and her concern for the Emperor.
His heart ached for her, knowing exactly how much she had loved that endearing ball of fluff. He would make sure she had no ti to dwell on the loss when the dust settled on this Rebellion, and they had kicked the pretender out of the capital.
That couldn’t happen soon enough... That damn Haoran was standing between him and his marriage to the love of his life! As if there hadn’t been enough mountains for him to climb to first win ili’s love, and then finally secure her hand in marriage from the Emperor! He’d only had to defeat Arughtai to earn the right to marry her... nothing too challenging...
Speaking of which, he had a rebel prince to topple.
"Let’s go!" he shouted at Ju Rong. "Move the n out. No more stops before nightfall!"
---------
Bai Li’s army arrived on the outskirts of the capital at mid-morning the following day. Their scouts had already found the Crown Prince and his forces, and Zhu Yicai and a contingent of his senior soldiers waited at the city gates as the army rode towards them.
The Prince and the Commander raised their hands for their soldiers to halt as they kicked their horses into matching canters, eting each other in the empty space between the two groups of n.
"Crown Prince," Bai Li greeted him with a small bow.
"Commander. Thank goodness you’re back. I take it my Father got a ssage to you? They killed all of the pigeons. I sent so scouts to you with a ssage, but the fellows returned reporting you were already rushing back to the capital to fight Haoran."
"Yes. The Emperor sent a ssage through i ili. Miss i and her Fifth Brother rode day and night to get it to us."
The Crown Prince looked shocked and relieved at the sa ti. He cast about across the lines of n, picking i ili out in the crowd on her palomino instantly. She was watching the pair, and he nodded at her. She smiled back at him, returning the nod. She was very happy to see him alive.
"So that’s where she went. I was worried Haoran had her..." he trailed off, his brow furrowed.
"What’s the position here?" asked Bai Li.
"Haoran has occupied the Dragon Throne and pronounced himself Emperor. His coronation is set for tomorrow. He duelled with my Father and injured him. We don’t know if the Emperor’s dead or alive. There’s no information coming out from the centre of the palace. Haoran’s troops control the northern half of the palace. They don’t have enough manpower to force us out entirely though. Now that you’re back, I feel confident that we’ll defeat him. What did my Father’s ssage say?" he asked, almost as an afterthought. He was confident in its contents.
"It said that Haoran had rebelled, and I was to bring back the army as quickly as possible. You were nad in the ssage as his heir. I’m to see you crowned as Emperor if anything happens to our Lord. Haoran is to be demoted to a commoner and exiled. If he survives..."
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