Disclaimer: Kung Fu Panda belongs to DreamWorks Animation.
Chapter 8 – White Sees Black
"Any sign of them?" whispered Nian Gao towards one of the boars, who merely shook his head firmly. The group had to be quiet and stealthy, lest they be caught by Liu Wei and the Kung Fu masters. Overall their raid went splendidly; some men were injured but there weren't any bad ones or any casualties. The new weight of resources in the group's packs was a good example.
The raiders strolled through the forest in silence, trying not to get caught by the other group. They were far apart, but caution was still necessary. As the leader, Nian Gao had to be responsible; he had to make Shen proud, or he would be one sad weasel and the other a furious peacock. Nian Gao's leadership skills weren't bad—in fact, they were impressive for an eighteen-year-old weasel named after a dish. He knew of his comrades' limits; and he was benevolent towards other parties to prevent unnecessary quarrels. If only the weasel's leader could see past his unique name. Nian Gao sighed.
"Psst!" A dhole tapped the young weasel for his attention. Nian Gao jumped and turned to the canine confusedly.
"U-um, yeah?"
"There's an odd mass by that tree!" The canid pointed towards a figure settled next to a large tree. Nian Gao tilted his head and motioned for his comrades to halt, to which they complied.
Nian Gao approached the tree and stopped as he neared the form. He perked up in interest as his eyes landed on a feathered form. Getting closer, he realized it to be an unconscious black swan—very injured, too. The young weasel raised a brow.
"They—she's very injured," he noted. Pity began to bubble within the weasel as he stared at the unconscious bird. Nian Gao felt the need to help the poor avian, so he acted on it. He turned towards the dhole next to him, looking equally as intrigued as his leader. The weasel cleared his throat. "We have to rescue her. She's hurt! Please help me transport her." Nian Gao turned to the others behind him, specifically the boars. "You too, if you don't mind," he finished.
Nian Gao ordered another weasel to check on the bird's wounds, carefully unwrapping the silk scraps and replacing it with real bandages. The bloody "bandages" were buried into a hole dug to hide the scent; and the new bandages started showing hints of red as blood bled through. Of course, pressure was applied to stop the constant bleeding. Once finished, the boars gingerly lifted the swan for transport. Nian Gao looked at the injured swan sympathetically, eyeing the injuries and ruffled feathers.
"Why exactly do you wish to save her?" asked a boar. Nian Gao's lips tilted downwards as he glanced at the swan.
"She looked so helpless and could die if left there. I just couldn't leave such a helpless and frail person from dying alone. It's simply not me to abandon someone in need like that," the weasel answered.
"But what if she's armed?" a dhole protested hesitantly. The boar holding the unconscious avian shook his head.
"I checked her pockets. She's unarmed; and based on the clothing, she's definitely of noble status, so she most likely knows little to nothing about combat."
"What about Lord Shen? He was a prince, and he could easily match up to two Kung Fu masters." The dhole was referring to Masters Croc and Storming Ox, recalling the time Shen took over Gongmen City with his wolves and gorillas.
"P-princes need to defend themselves somehow. There are assassins sometimes, after all," said Nian Gao, a little reluctantly. He shook his head. "But I'm pretty sure the swan lacks knowledge in fighting. She appears to have not come from China at all."
The dhole eventually conceded, nodding slowly. He looked at the injured swan.
"I-I suppose. I mean, never before have I seen a swan of her colouration in these parts."
Nian Gao then eventually realized something. His eyes glanced at the form of black and tainted colours that once made up a beautiful hanfu.
"If my guess is correct," he mused, "then this swan could be one of those German swans that visited Gongmen."
"But didn't Lord Shen only mention two white ones while discussing the plans? She's black—with white-tipped feathers, but still a black swan!"
Nian Gao shrugged. He kindly ordered the group to continue.
"No matter, we'll get her all rested up and healed. In the end at least we have done something good for once," the weasel insisted.
"Lord Shen definitely won't approve of this," muttered the boar under his breath, clutching the frail swan firmly.
And with that, the small group trekked through the forest in silence. Nian Gao knew the albino peacock wouldn't approve of his actions, but in the end he got to help someone's life—that is if she weren't to die throughout the journey back to the hideout. However, that brought him one step back from his goal to get Shen's acceptance . . . at least, Nian Gao thought so anyway.
It was a few minutes after the Kung Fu warriors ceased their chase. Some time into trailing after them they knew it was all pointless. And so, they stopped.
"We wasted our time chasing them," muttered Mantis, "when it turns out Nyx was actually not with them."
"Do you think they forgot to pick her up? And didn't that lynx bring Nyx somewhere else?" wondered Monkey, hands resting his chin in thought.
Viper looked down dejectedly. Being the mother hen of the group, she worried for her friends; of all the people Nyx grew closest to, it was the serpentine reptile. They haven't reached a point of becoming the best of friends, but both Nyx and the group have achieved a good level of trust with each other. Po looked at the reptile worriedly.
"We haven't been beat," she said, "but we certainly lost Nyx. What will her parents think, knowing we, renowned Masters from the Jade Palace, have failed them in returning their daughter? And her injuries . . ."
"So she may be dead?" Mantis guessed candidly. Everyone glared at the insect. "Look, I tried, but we didn't have any actual medical supplies."
"Guys, please relax. She's not with those bad guys, so it's fine. Remember what the soothsayer said? Nyx's future didn't mention death, so she's definitely alive. We just have to hope for the best." Po looked at his friends calmly. He nodded at the understanding silence. "Let's notify Nyx's parents."
Viper shook her head obstinately.
"We're not ones to give up easily, Po, so why now?" The snake's blue eyes held confusion and a bit of sadness as she stared at the panda.
"I know it's weird, but trust me on this—things are going to be okay with Nyx. It's a feeling, but I feel as if I can count on it."
Tigress nodded firmly as she surveyed her teammates.
"I hope you're right. I say this knowing you are the Dragon Warrior and a trusted friend," said the feline. She glanced at her friends, nodding and gesturing them to follow. "Let's head back."
Viper looked down and nodded in surrender, before following her friends back to Gongmen. Needless to say, the noble swans would be very sad.
"Y-you didn't bring her back?" Lorelei asked as she didn't see a black swan in the group. The warriors' heads were tilted downwards as they contemplated their failure. In the soothsayer's eyes was sadness, but also understanding—Nyx's future was seen, but how it was going to pave itself was unknown . . . until her disappearance.
Lorelei collapsed and let out an anguished squall. Gerard rushed to her side and attempted to calm her, but heartbroken tears streamed like rushing rivers down his cheeks. The soothsayer bit her lip. Grief-stricken, it felt as if the only option for the two swans was to give in to the depression. That was about to be the case, but the soothsayer prayed their hearts would remain strong and determined. After all, they've lived for over twenty years with the thought that their daughter was dead.
The soothsayer walked towards the Kung Fu masters, who still had their heads down in shame. She called for them softly, slightly easing their tension. The goat's amber eyes remained gentle and soothing, but also holding a hint of solemn firmness.
"Please," she began, "I know you won't rest yet, but I still say it now—do not leave the city yet. Things are tense, and knowing that there are dangerous groups that lurk just outside or even within the city makes things very hard for us. We still need your aid in protecting Gongmen, and I'm sure Masters Ox And Croc are aware of this"—she glanced at the two older masters, who nodded in agreement—"so please remain for a bit more until it's safer and Nyx returns. I also plead that you help me in comforting the swans," the soothsayer requested.
"But they will recover, right?" wondered Mantis. The soothsayer shook her head hesitantly.
"Maybe. Maybe not. If a parent loves their child very, very much, losing them before losing themselves will have severe consequences to their health and sanity." The elderly goat's words confused some of the masters, but Ox and Croc definitely understood due to their knowledge of Lord Qiang and Lady Mei. Amber eyes scanned the younger masters. "Do you know how Lord Shen's parents died?" she asked.
"Uhhh . . ." Mantis put one of his "thingies" below his chin in contemplation. "I don't know much."
The soothsayer cleared her throat, then saying, "They died of heartbreak. They grieved for Shen, until their depression reached their core and eventually killed them. Because of the lack of will they had to continue on with life, they grew weak and frail, so sickness killed them slowly." Viper let out an inaudible gasp, thinking sympathetic thoughts about the royal peafowls. Then the goat's tone grew more quiet, lest the swans would hear. "So if this goes on for Lord Gerard and Lady Lorelei, I'm afraid their demise will have the same circumstances as the late rulers of this city."
Po's emerald-green eyes looked at the soothsayer, determination written all over.
"We gotta keep them from feeling sad then. If not, then their deaths will not help things, especially for Nyx."
"Thank you, Dragon Warrior. Now," she said, "how about some tea? You can also take a break later. I'm sure you need some time to relax."
The warriors nodded, following the soothsayer. There no longer wasn't any chaos at the moment, but one thing still lingered in their minds. That specific thought was of Nyx's whereabouts and fate—based on the soothsayer's words, she was definitely alive but somewhere else, but what would happen next was unclear.
The next two days for the group of raiders were filled with caution, but also a serenity that only companions could bring. Members of the group conversed on occasion—some topics light and tinged with a bit of humour, and some a little more serious.
During the entirety of the travel, Nyx remained unconscious. To prevent her from the obvious case of dying, the medical weasel would tend to her wounds if there was something wrong. The boars would also take turns carrying her, while the dholes and weasels kept an eye out for any potential threats; they knew they were far from Liu Wei and his gang, but Nian Gao found it better safe than sorry. Every time the swan would be handed off to someone, the carrier would always have a curious expression upon seeing the black bird. At first the rest of the group were perplexed as to why a hurt and unconscious black swan would be joining them, but then shrugged it off as their bafflement shifted into interest—it certainly wasn't every day that they would come across an oddly coloured bird, minus the albino peacock that led them.
They were nearing the hideout, noticing the faint traces of smoke through the edge of the forest. The old village was just beyond, in a clearing after another short walk from the forest's borders. Several members of the raiders whooped, but not too loudly so as to not disturb the swan. She still remained unconscious.
"We're almost there!" proclaimed a dhole. Nian Gao turned to the others behind him. He smiled and continued leading them forward.
Upon reaching the hideout, they were greeted by the grins of their other comrades. Everyone exchanged greetings, welcoming one another and planning celebration plans; it was a joke, because Shen wouldn't approve anyway—they had to be resourceful. The boar holding their unconscious guest hid behind everyone, trying not to attract any attention. However, every head soon turned as they saw him holding the avian. Curiosity washed over them as they scrutinized the injured swan.
"You're dead," a weasel stated bluntly, knowing full well of their peacock leader's harshness. "But let's not hope literally."
Nervous chuckles erupted from the raiders, eyes cast down and hooves or paws scratching the back of their heads. Nian Gao stepped forward and firmly shook his head.
"We'll house her in the storage shack once we have her made known. But first, we'll need to drop off our materials and announce our return to Lord Shen." The young weasel scratched his arm nervously. "Uh, where is Lord Shen?"
"In his house," a boar answered.
Nian Gao nodded and ushered his group ahead, but not before telling some of the boars to clear the shack and reside their guest in; and the boar happily complied as he dropped off his things and brought the swan to the shack—some others followed him to make room. They made their way to the only house that remained in tact, which was also where Shen resided. When they reached the decrepit building, Nian Gao knocked on the door shyly. It was almost immediately answered by Shen himself, who looked irritated at the disturbance. The peacock smirked upon seeing the group.
"Ah, you're back. Do tell, how did the raid go? Any things you took that were useful to us?"
"Milord, we took some items made of metals—maybe for forging new things. Oh, there's also lots of food from stands. Well, there are lots of things." Nian Gao displayed the contents of his sack, revealing to hold mainly ingredients for dishes. The others did the same as Shen inspected them.
"All right, not bad," muttered the peacock. "What else?"
"Sir, Liu Wei also invaded Gongmen, on the same night as us. I think he knew about it as well, but his group's raid was more violent," piped up a dhole.
"I see. And what of the swans?" The topic of the waterfowls made some nervous; and they tried very hard to hide their discomfort, barely succeeding.
"I heard they were brought to the Tower safely," answered Nian Gao. "However, I'm pretty sure they'd remain."
"Oh? Well then"—Shen strutted closer to the group—"anything else?"
Silence was all he got, with a noticeable hint of hesitance. Their behaviour caused Shen to raise a brow suspiciously.
"Anything else?" Shen reiterated.
"U-uh, ha ha. . ." Nian Gao scratched the back of his head nervously. Announcing their injured guest turned out to be a little harder compared to the mind's projection of their peacock boss. Shen's eyes began to intensify in impatience. He would know what they couldn't utter eventually.
The albino's head tilted heavenwards as he called out, "you may come out, Li Hung!"
Landing on the ground was the pigeon messenger, nodding upon meeting his leader's gaze.
"Are what they speak of true?" Shen asked. Li Hung nodded in confirmation. "What about their reluctance to answer?"
"They hide something, Lord Shen," was all the pigeon said. Of course, Shen wasn't stopping at that response.
"Do clarify, messenger."
The pigeon cleared his throat.
"Ah, well—"
"P-please follow us first, milord!" interrupted Nian Gao. He scrunched his brow in feigned confidence as he looked at an irate Shen. "We have something to show you. I-I think that's what Li Huang is referring to when we can't speak."
Shen huffed and nodded for the group to move, but in reality he only needed one person to lead him. They complied anyway; and for confirmation of the truth, Shen had Li Huang remain. Before heading to the shack they dropped off their sacks, while some of the men wished them a continuous life. Not wanting to risk an early death, some even went elsewhere to escape the wrath of an ex-warlord. The group stopped just outside the shack, now newly cleaned out. It wasn't too small, but the size of a room in a house—suitable for one occupant such as the swan inside. Raising a brow at the small building, Shen glanced at the group with hidden bafflement.
"The shack? We've had this for a whi—"
"A-actually, it's what's inside, milord," interrupted Nian Gao. Shen glared at the weasel angrily.
"Do not interrupt me!" The weasel nodded his head vigorously.
"Y-yes, sir."
Shen turned his head back to the door, and said, "Now, what is this that Li Huang was about to say?"
Everyone took a large step back, all except for Nian Gao. They gulped, hoping the best for the young weasel. Said weasel put on a mask of bravery, as if he was about to enter a beast's chamber. Shen only waited, wings hidden in his sleeves but clenched impatiently; he wasn't one for dealing with patience easily—it was surprising he waited so long to enact his plans on Gongmen a half-year ago. Li Huang, on the other hand, kept himself relaxed and perched on a boar's shoulder. Of course, he soon flew towards the peacock and weasel, as he has to be the judge. The group waited fearfully as Nian Gao opened the door, which caused a creak. For Shen, he found the tension unnecessary and annoying, but he kept silent.
Nian Gao fully opened the door, eyes widening slightly in surprise as he scanned the newly cleared shack. Those who cleaned the interior had done a surprisingly quick and efficient job; and with just a few more additions it would look like an actual room, minus the cobwebs that remained in the corners and a part of the window. For a shack it was quite spacious, but for a room it was small. Where they had placed the weapons that once ate up the space, Nian Gao did not know, but he would ask about it later—that is, if he made it out alive. He just hoped Shen would be a little more lenient like he was on some occasions, which was an odd behaviour for him during the past couple of months.
In the small bit of room laid their guest, unconscious as usual. Her bandages seemed to be new and clean, as it lacked the blood stains that seeped through during their final moments of travel. Instead of her tarnished clothing, she was wrapped in a blanket to keep her warm. Nian Gao winced a little as he recalled her wounds. It was only a stab wound from what would most likely be an arrow, as well as slash marks, but it definitely didn't help the waterfowl at all. The weasel stepped forward and inspected her, then turned to see Shen's reaction—it wasn't good. Shen's eyes bore on both the swan and the weasel, blood-red orbs seeming to darken dangerously. The peacock turned to Li Huang, who only nodded before exiting hurriedly.
"You brought a stranger?" he whispered, anger rising.
"M-most likely from Gongmen, considering the short distance between there and the place we found her. But, sh-she was very much hurt, milord!" protested Nian Gao, silently so as to not wake their guest.
"Follow me outside," beckoned the peacock, stepping outside the shack.
Nian Gao gulped, quivering as he exited the storage unit. He shut the door, but then felt like melting where he stood as Shen's glare bore holes on him.
"You idiot! Do you not know what you just did?! You brought in a stranger, a complete stranger who is not supposed to be here!" the peacock yelled. Shen paced around the weasel, while the group near them stood in fear, saying mental prayers and trying to think of something else. "She could expose this place—expose us!" Had the grass not been able to silence Shen's talons, the group would've bolted halfway across the country just to quell their growing fear. A blade poked out of the peacock's sleeve threateningly, while said avian's glare only hardened. "Fool! Have your parents not taught you to bring strangers in?!" Shen yelled furiously.
"I—I . . ."
Shen then turned to Li Huang. The pigeon backed up a little as the peacock's glare was focused on him.
"And you! You never told me there were three of them!" The peacock referred to the swans as he yelled at the smaller bird.
"I never s-saw her, sir. Just the white ones," replied Li Huang. Both he and Nian Gao squeaked as Shen's throwing knives missed their foot by just an inch. Shen leaned closer to them as they clutched each other with timorous shakes.
"Keep a better eye on things then, squab." Shen's gaze moved to the young weasel before him. "And you will take responsibility of the swan—after all you were the one who took her in. If she is to spill information about us, then kill her. If not"—Shen moved closer until his beak was mere inches from Nian Gao's muzzle—"I'll kill her myself when I find out," he finished quietly, which added more threat in his tone.
The pigeon and weasel nodded their heads vigorously. While Nian Gao felt fearful for himself, a part of him was worried for the black swan just meters away. He had to inform her of her new situation once she woke up. Everyone else darted their eyes awkwardly, trying to keep their focus somewhere else; and unfortunately their attempts where of no use.
Then all of a sudden Shen pointed a new knife at Nian Gao's throat dangerously. The weasel's lower lip quivered.
"My orders are clear, right?" Nian Gao nodded, then Shen did the same with Li Huang. In the end Shen huffed and turned away from the group.
"Find some use for her once she awakens. If she has no use here then she definitely doesn't belong. Death will be the only option if she plays no role—I cannot have her spill everything to the public," he instructed, before heading back to the decrepit house.
Nian Gao let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The others near him did the same, relieved to still have their lives intact. Li Huang shook his head and decided to leave for a calming flight. While everyone knew of Shen's notorious deeds—and ones similar to their previous leader—the peacock was more preferable compared to working under Liu Wei. Unlike the lynx, Shen definitely had a potential to better himself, but Nian Gao and everyone else were just unsure as to when that moment would occur. Liu Wei, on the other hand, had villainy ingrained in his head since he was a mere kitten. However, what had just occurred was one of those doubtful moments—was it worth swearing their allegiance to the infamous Lord Shen? There was an ambivalence among the crowd, but in the end they decided it was better than working under Liu Wei.
As everyone dismissed themselves and went their own ways, the young weasel stared at the shack's door. For a moment his gaze remained there; and only until everyone left did he also take his leave. Nian Gao just hoped the swan would take the news easily.
What once kept a fire alive was now burnt out, wood ashen and charred black. There was still some smoke, but it bothered no one in the darkness of night. The entire camp was asleep, some once thinking about what had transpired hours ago before falling into a dreamless state. Everyone—all in tents or sleeping under the moon and stars—except for one.
Shen walked out of the house quietly, trying not to disturb any nearby sleepers. The peacock strolled through the grassy field, a contrast compared to the dark blues of night. He thought of his next move, his goal, as well as the problem of having a possibly untrustworthy stranger in the area. It was only then that Shen realized he stopped right outside the shack. An exasperated groan escaped from him.
"Might as well check on her," he spoke to himself. For all he knew the swan could be awake and planning a letter to later send to Gongmen's government, but that was absurd. But it was still something Shen didn't want to risk.
The peacock entered the shack, ignoring the audible creak from the door. In the middle of the small space, still asleep, laid the swan. She remained unconscious and still as a rock, oblivious to the world. Although injured, the moonlight from the small window bathed the swan in an eerily beautiful glow. It reminded Shen of the times he wished he had colours that were just as vibrant as his father's, but those were hopeless thoughts. With the help of the moon, the black swan's feathers seemed to shine in colours unseen during the day. Shen, on the other hand, only had white with hints of black and red on his train; and they remained the same during both the day and night cycle. Shen snorted as he shook away the envious thoughts—and of an injured, unconscious female at that.
Silently, the peacock neared the swan for better inspection. He figured her injuries were possibly around her sides or wings, considering the likely areas for most injuries he'd receive and the unscathed head and neck.
Hm, what relations does she have to Gerard and Lorelei? wondered Shen as his blood-red eyes scanned the swan's unusual colouring.
His eyes caught something off, nonchalant gaze landing on a stray feather on the swan's cheek. To satisfy the perfectionist within him, he fixed the stray feather. He jumped as one of his primary feathers touched the waterfowl, static coursing through his wing upon the contact. Shen huffed and quickly fixed the feather, nodding approvingly at the arranged black feathers—faint hints of deep, dark blues revealed from the moonlight. All of a sudden, the swan's eyes slowly blinked open, revealing bright, ruby-red pools. The peacock looked at her eyes, entranced. Both pairs of red met, until eventually one shut again. A sigh escaped the swan, once again unconscious. Shen could only raise a brow as he thought over what had just occurred. He rolled his eyes and shrugged, beginning to exit the shack.
"How odd," Shen groused, staring at the only occupant in the building.
Seeing her alive and recovering in the former warlord's hideout was already something quite peculiar. Back then he would kill those he captured either immediately or shortly after an interrogation or failed ransom. Nowadays he'd send threats or purposely miss his target as consequences or punishments. Odd indeed.
I'm growing soft if I let a stranger in without death or punishment, he thought, closing the shack's door. The peacock surveyed the camp before flying off towards the mountains.
Hours later came the raising of the sun. This time morning didn't come easily for Shen, having been up and moving throughout a good portion of the night. He normally rose early, so that didn't help either. The peacock grumbled to himself as he buried his head into his sleeves and blankets, trying to avoid the streams of sunlight peeking through the curtain-less window. Eventually he got up and did his mourning routine, before once again stopping at the shack. Thankfully he'd keep the embarrassment to himself, as everyone else still remained fast asleep.
Shen entered the small building, gaze focusing on the swan. The darker bird didn't budge as the creak echoed throughout the small space. She also remained as if nothing had happened last night. The only change was her slight shivering due to the morning temperature, which Shen ignored.
The albino thought of the possible jobs for her, mainly the ones expected of her gender. Roles such as cleaning, cooking, sewing, as well as others came to mind—maybe she could do all of the above. Regardless, the swan needed a role if she were to stay—the world wasn't free, and that applied to Shen's hideout, too. Well, she was of noble lineage if she were to come with two of Gongmen's known noble swans; and for all Shen could know she probably only had the single talent of admiring her own reflection. Shen hoped that wasn't the case, or else he would simply kill her, for he had no use for vain and useless women. He looked at the window, only now realizing how much time he had spent pondering and staring at the other avian.
The bright-blue sky was filled with sunshine and some clouds, signifying a bright and full morning. It wouldn't be long until the others would wake, so Shen left the swan and entered the largest tent. Unlike the smaller tents, it served more as a planning station—blueprints of weaponry and other literature scattered about on the table in the middle. There were also small, old shelves beside it. If the space wasn't for planning then it was a small library; it housed surviving scrolls from several of the abandoned villages that Shen had explored. A small lantern hung from the roof, lit shortly after Shen entered. Only the albino peacock himself was allowed inside, unless he allowed permission for the others' entry.
Clips were attached to the entrances of the tent by the peacock, which acted similarly to locks for doors. Shen then sat behind the table, looking through his plans and a small sketch of his cannons. After several moments of pondering, Shen's focus shifted to another thing near him. A nod came from him as he decided on his next moves.
He removed everything from the table until not a piece was left. Then, he lowered his pale form and carefully dug through a small shelf beneath the table, holding more scrolls. At the very back sat a small box, locked with two keys that only Shen had—one extra in case he lost the other. Somehow he didn't lose it as he was being carried by the river all those months ago, but he was rather glad. The white rabbits were kind to return it to him the same time he got his robe back, but thankfully they didn't snoop. The peacock brought the box close and settled it on the cleared table.
The peacock took out one of the keys, inserting it and unlocking the box. The only contents were three photos, all of which were very important. They were painted by a professional and given to him for free, the payments already made. Shen took out the two photos—one showing his three-year-old self on the soothsayer's head; and one showing his seven-year-old self with Gerard and Lorelei, a few days before they left and remained in Germany for ten years. Both of the swans had visited him and his parents the year before he committed his big crime, and a part of him was thankful that they did not have to witness his banishment.
Lord Gerard and Lady Lorelei were like the uncle and aunt he never had, as his real ones were either deceased or someplace unknown or unmentioned. They also shared a close relationship with his parents—he even recalled making clips out of his feathers and blue ribbons with his mother and giving it to Lorelei as a present, back when his down was starting to be replaced.
"I wonder what she did with it," Shen mused, stroking his chin in thought. He shrugged and moved on.
Then there was the third photo, the largest of the three. Painted on it was a little Shen and his parents, back in his peachick days. Their smiles were a complete contrast of what their relationship had become seventeen years later. Of all the photos, the third was the most precious to him. Yes, Shen loved his former nanny as if she were a second mother, but it didn't replace the bond he had with his blood. The favour he once had for his parents, however, didn't replace the strong relationship he had built with the soothsayer. Still, a parent's bond with their child was strong if nurtured right. Shen sighed as he stared at each of the photos. It was a miracle that they survived the waters of the river, or even stayed dry. The box was definitely nice.
Upon hearing the growing sound of chatter, Shen returned the photos to their place and tucked away the locked box in his robe—considering all the weapons he hid in his clothes, hiding a small box was no problem—deciding to bring it to his room later. He sniffed the lantern's flame and unclipped the tent, then took a slow intake of breath.
"Another new day in this world I live in," he whispered.
It was also a new day with a new addition. Again, Shen was thankful for being the only person awake during his time in the shack. His men would definitely find it suspicious, and he certainly didn't want any talk about it.
Shen shook his head and sighed. He stepped out of the tent and was greeted by the daylight.
A/N: Ahh yes, finally—finally they met, well, at least one of them did. Well that's all I really have to say right now, since most of my thoughts have been summarized and stated last chapter (which was released at around the same time as this). Have a good day/night to y'all! :)
