Xin Er felt something wet land on her cheek and slide down to her lips. She let out a breathless groan and attempted to wipe whatever it was away, only to be intercepted by a warm hand.
"Try not to move."
The voice was soft and smooth, though it held a superiority that spoiled any kindness that may have been lurking beneath the surface.
Xin Er cracked open an eye and stared at a face she did not recognize. The source of blood was a thin slash on his cheek, just below his left eye. He was lucky not to have been blinded. He was wrapping her wrist which (now that she thought about it), hurt quite badly.
"Who are you?" She inquired, embarrassed by the hoarseness of her voice.
"Who are you?" He shot back, smirking when she frowned with confusion. "I do not wish to share my carriage with a stranger."
Yes, they were in a carriage; she recognized the gentle rocking and the smell of horses, though the scent of fur was almost overpowered by the various perfumes.
"My name is Xin Er," she said, allowing him to stroke her wrist absentmindedly. She was in no position to fight against the touch. "I do not remember who I am."
The man did not seem overly alarmed and only raised an eyebrow.
"Lying will get you nowhere but the afterlife," he replied. "I am the prince of Na-An."
Xin Er felt unease fill her. She did not know why but being in the presence of royalty made her nervous. He finished wrapping the bandage and she inched away from him, choosing instead to recline weakly on the cushions littering the carriage floor.
A part of her wished to simply request to be let out on the road, but the prince seemed uninterested in tossing her away. Xin Er knew she was not ugly, so she could not help wondering if he planned to have her join his concubine. He himself was handsome enough but she did not wish to let someone she did not know do as he pleased with her body.
"You have soft hands and manicured nails," he remarked, as if hearing her thoughts. "There is a chance you are of nobility. I will watch over you for now."
Xin Er was allowed out to empty her bladder and she returned to the place where they had parked the carriage to find the prince leaning casually against a tree, inspecting his fingernails with narrowed eyes.
"The warmth will end tonight," he said, looking up at the sky as she walked over. "Rain is coming; I can smell it in the air."
Xin Er was somewhat skeptical seeing as the sun was shining merrily above, but she bit her tongue and stayed silent. Tuoba Yu looked over at her and simply stared for a moment.
"Are you feeling sick?" He asked, touching the bottom of her chin suddenly. She jumped a little but did not pull away.
"Simply weak," she said, blinking once. "I am only tired."
The prince of Na-An nodded and gestured at the carriage.
"I wish to hunt, but you may rest," he said gently.
Taking the invitation to escape with open arms, Xin Er bowed politely and hurried inside. She fell asleep and dozed for about an hour before she was awoken by a clap of thunder. Tuoba Yu was lounging on the bench, a smug expression decorating his face.
"What did I tell you?" He said, his soft voice almost drowned out by the pounding rain. The carriage began moving once more.