She tried not to stutter, not to stare obbsessively, not to break down and fall into his arms. She was a strong individual, she could handle anything that came up in life, anything that gave her a challenge.
She had.
But her loyalty for her young master, her emporer, her Ling, tore away at everything inside of her. Her strength became weak; her voice became silent; her fight became a helpless struggle. She would do anything for Ling. That could save his life, or risk it.
His smiling eyes, his cocky grin, his cheerful voice; they all meant so much to her. They were all she cherished. They were what she lived for. She forgot when exactly she had realized she truly loved Ling. Was it her early teenage years? Her late childhood? She had always understood duty, protecting the young master's life, but she had never understood love and devotion. She couldn't even recognize it within herself.
What was love? What were the boundaries, the rules?
What if he didn't love her back?
"Ran Fan?"
She jumped, too caught in her thoughts and frights to acknowledge his pressence.
"I'm sorry, Young Master," She responded, bowing. "I-I should have been paying more attention, listening more attentively."
"You don't need to be so formal, Ran Fan." He told her, shaking his head. "I just wanted to ask you if you knew where we could get something to eat..."