It is Lan Fan's duty to protect the young master. Her role is to watch over him, yet, as Grandfather reminds her over and over again, she must also be aware of their surroundings, looking out for dangers to the young master. And although Grandfather will be there, she must be capable of performing her duties alone.
It can be difficult sometimes – the young master is curious and strong-willed, prone to wandering off when her attention wavers. And her attention is prone to wavering, especially when she sinks into the Dragon's Pulse and she is suddenly, overwhelmingly aware of the qi of everyone and everything around her.
But in this instance, Lan Fan knows she is capable of both. She stands guard at the door, part of her tapped into the Dragon's Pulse so she can detect the presence of any enemies. But her gaze is still focused on the young master, sharp eyes observing his movements and sharper ears hearing the rustling and clattering from the young master's activities. As his bodyguard, Lan Fan cannot condemn nor condone his actions, though in this instance she thinks she might be leaning towards the latter.
A flicker on the edge of her awareness. Lan Fan stiffens, and her heart begins to pound anxiously in her chest. "Young master," she says quietly. "We need to leave now."
"Not yet, Lan Fan," the young master protests, not even bothering to look up. "I'm not finished yet."
The flicker becomes a presence as the person – no, people – begin to approach the room, their qi ringing clearly through the Dragon's Pulse. "Young master!" she warns, fighting to keep her voice low. It is possible that the enemies – four incoming, she realises, and one who has especially honed qi – have not realised where she and the young master are; escape is still a possibility. A good retreat can be a victory, Grandfather had once told her, and although it may not necessarily apply to assassins – which she and the young master have seen their share of – Lan Fan thinks his advice rings true for their current predicament. "Now."
He must hear the urgency in her voice, because the young master stops and lifts his head. "Okay," he says finally. But every second it takes for the young master to tidy away the evidence of their presence winds her body tighter than any wires she might carry, especially when the approach of their enemies is so obvious.
"Young Master, we must leave now," Lan Fan hisses again, shifting uneasily in an attempt to reduce the tension in her muscles so she can prepare herself for either their escape or, more likely, the inevitable fight when their enemies arrive.
Just as she thinks she can wait no longer – on the verge of snatching the young master up and fleeing with him on her back – he straightens. "I'm done," he says hastily. "Let's go!"
With quick, silent steps, they flee the room, navigating around turns and twists through endless hallways. Lan Fan skims the surface of the Dragons' Pulse to keep track of their pursuers, though she smothers her own qi to ensure they cannot track her in return. The young master has kept his qi crushed since they had begun their mission.
He flashes a smile at her as they run, bright and mischievous, because they are maybe ten steps from the exit, from success, from freedom, and that, of course, is where it all goes wrong.
"Young master!"
But the cry doesn't come from Lan Fan.
Though small, the figure standing in their path is their most formidable enemy. Lan Fan and the young master skid to a halt, glancing at each other with despair because this is the one enemy they could never hope to win again in a fight.
"Shirking your duties again, young master!" Fu scolds, glaring down at the prince. "This is the third time this week!"
"But I was hungry!" the young master explains, almost reasonably if not for the way he drags the last word out into a whine. Lan Fan wants to chide him because Grandfather does not tolerate complaints, but the last thing she wants to do is draw attention to herself.
As expected, Grandfather's face goes red with fury. "Hungry?" he repeats incredulously. As he steps forward he seems to tower over them – or perhaps both Lan Fan and the young master cannot help but shrink back in their fear. Fu snatches the bag off the young master's shoulder – too quick for Lan Fan to stop or even see – and opens it to reveal their stash of food. "Young master," he growls, his voice low and threatening before it rises to a furious roar. "Stealing from the kitchens? Again?"
Not quite sure when I first fell in love with LingFan as a ship but now I'm obsessed (you can probably blame Shu of the Wind for her beautiful, amazing, enthralling fic Swallows on the Beam). My head is full of ideas for this couple and this particular fic was inspired by all the LingFan kid!fics I read.
All feedback is appreciated and thank you for reading!