Disclaimer: I do not own The Long Ballad, nor it's characters. Nor do I own any rights to the invention of Assassin's Creed and The Old Guard themes.
(Contains: Child Abuse, Torcher, Suicide, Fighting, Death, Romance, Drama, Depression, History, Real Places, Secret Groups, and Supernatural elements)
—Getting back on track of the series timeline.—
A month had passed while Chang'ge healed; during that time, it was found that a soldier from Wolf Devision was the one who forged the orders for the elimination of Sun. Doing so in hopes of getting Young Khan in even better standing within the tribe. After the man was executed, Great Khan came to the Devision again and collected Shar from their prison, having him formally apologize to Sun and the Devision for the mismanagement of his men. As well as to pass along an apology to the Old Guard who was still within Eagle Devisions ranks, something which greatly pleased Great Khan.
Walking towards Chang'ge who was standing on the hill next to her tent and looking out over the Devision; Sun could see Alanya sitting on her arm playing with Chang'ge's clothing as she patted her feathers. At his approach, Chang'ge sent her off and watched her just fly over the Devision. Letting the fabric in his arm fall as he held the top of it, he walked up behind her and tossed it over her shoulders before taking his place at her side to watch Alanya.
"You've just recovered, don't get sick again."
"Don't worry, I'm not that week." She reply's to him while trying to give back the cloak.
"You can wear it later when you feel cold. You haven't accomplished anything yet, and I don't want to lose my investment"
"Don't worry Tandin, I'll surly accomplish the three things I promised you. Do you have any instructions for me today?" She turned to look at him, the cloak now folded over her arm.
"I was making my rounds and just passed by"
He looked back out over the Devision, knowing that what he had said could be challenge by her easily, all because of the cloak on her arm. When she asked him if he was patrolling by himself, he was relived that she didn't question his excuse and changed their topic to her slave and asks where she was.
"She's doing laundry"
"She's lucky, to have you as her master"
"I'm not her master, we're friends who treasure each other. In life, the people around you always leave one by one. Trusting new people and saying goodbye to old friends, are all very difficult things to do in life."
Her voice sounding far off, making him turn to look at her subdued face. 'She lost so much in life already.' He thinks as she pauses then continues.
"Instead of saying that she's lucky, consider me the lucky one instead for meeting someone to cherish." She finishes, making him think about her words and how she is the person he attributes her words to.
"Me too"
"…Go make your rounds, the sun will set soon Tandin." he turned to her, seeing she was looking at him, studying his profile and an idea came to his mind that may cheer her up some.
"Why don't you join me, you haven't really gotten to know the grasslands other then the last time we were attacked. When it gets dark, I'll take you some where… I just don't know if you'll dare go." He adds in challenge.
"Why wouldn't I" she asks rising to his challenge, like he knew she would.
Walking to the edge of a hill that overlooked a large pond that was lit by a full moon, they watched as fireflies fade in and out around them.
"It's so beautiful" a smile coming to her face in wonder.
"I accidentally found this place when doing my rounds, do you like it?" He turned to look at her fully and got a nod of appreciation that light up her face.
"It will probably be the last times I'll get to see them this fall."
"We'll see them again next year." He tells her looking out over the water.
"…Who knows where we'll be next year and if we'd get a chance to see fireflies again?"
"If you want to see them again next year, just let me know. No matter where you are, I'll surely be there" he promised without thinking, and her head turned quickly to look at him. For a few heart beats they continued to stair at each other till she broke their silence, a sad smile coming to her face, making him want to asks her why as she turns away and looks back to the moon.
"I'm afraid I can't make it… Besides, beautiful things like fireflies are fleeting. So why look forward to them?"
With her words, he realizes somberly that she still believed she was alone in the world. Nor would she survive long enough to see the fireflies next year.
Back at the Devision, Mimi called out to Mujin before entering his tent to give something to him and found him unconscious on the floor of his tent. Acting quickly she grabbed a soldier and told him to grab someone to help and to bring wine as she ran of to grab some herself.
Once all the items she needed, along with Su Yishe's mother and Yalo they got Mujin back into his bed. Quickly soaking a rag, she started to rub the alcohol into his skin to help bring down the fever that had taken over his body. With the help of the two people they worked through the night to get his fever down with success as the sun started to light the sky the next morning.
When Mujin woke up the next morning, he noticed that Mimi was sleeping next to him. Then realizing he was undressed from the waist up, he quickly grabbed his near by shirt to cover himself, waking Mimi with his movement and causing her to sit up checking to make sure his fever hadn't returned.
Still finding that he was a little warm, she forced him to lay back down so that she could continue to rub alcohol into his skin to help bring down the fever some more. All the while Mujin was trying to contain his smile and happiness at the attention she was showing him.
It was a few days later when Sun was standing at one of his shelves, looking at one of the innovatory reports of what the Devision needed for the coming month, that Mujin came to ask him a question.
"Sun" he hears Mujin call out as he asks towards him and he gives him a sound of acknowledgment after looking at him quickly, then back to the report in his hand.
"Didn't I tell you to rest, why are you here when you have just recovered?" He asked his friend, who adamantly said that he was fully recovered.
"We're running out of supplies, right? I want to take Mimi Guli shopping."
He paused in his reading as his head slowly raised, then slowly turned to look at his flustered friend. Internally smirking, he fully turned to face him and decided to have fun at his friends expense.
"What's wrong? Are you still suspicious of her? Will bring her her along with you make you feel at ease?" He starts picking on Mujin, who's blush intensifies and he try to back track, saying that's not what he meant.
Sun continued to enjoy himself as Mujin try's to tell him that the reason he wanted Mimi to go with him, is because he thought she was smart and would she would be able to get a better price from the venders. 'Who does he think he's fooling' Sun thinks as he watched Mujin grab onto the corner of his bed and start to grip it while at the same time fidget as he stayed quiet to torture him some.
"Okay" he finally says trying to hide his smirk.
"That's great" Mujin tries to play of his excitement, but fails. looking like he wanted to skip out of his tent. 'He's so transparent' Sun thinks letting out a quiet snort.
Sitting at her table later that night, Chang'ge was embroidering a white rabbit onto a green money pouch for Mimi. However, when Mimi said absentmindedly that it was ugly. She told her that it was the only thing she could embroider, but if she didn't like it she could use a sack to hold her money. Quickly Mimi backtracked, trying to say sorry for hurting her feelings.
"No, I like it. Who says I don't? Go on and finish it," Mimi says then cringes at herself.
Picking up the pouch and looking at the poorly done rabbit she said that she agreed that the pouch was ugly.
"No. It's quite nice." Her friend says trying to cheer her up.
So once again Chang'ge went back to do a stitch, but as usual she stabbed her thumb with the needle and hissed while looking at the bleeding thumb. When Mimi quickly moved close to her and grabs her hand to inspect the tiny prick that had a drop of blood, she instinctively pulled her hand away, causing Mimi to sit back and give her space.
"It's ok"
"I didn't mean to say that. Those who think its ugly have bad taste." Mimi starts getting worked up trying to take her mind off from what had just happened before realizing what she just said. However her words made Chang'ge give her a look at the insult and watched as her friend look away in thought, her hand at her mouth before She looked back to her.
"You said it yourself" Mimi says seriously making her laugh with a smile.
Finishing the rabbit, she listened as Mimi told her that anything that came from her would be cherished, and that she wanted to get her something from the market. She asked Mimi if she had any money, but was told that she could barrow it from Mujin by being his servant for a day. Pulling out her own money pouch, she took half of the money from inside and placed it into the now done pouch, before handing it to Mimi who tried to reject the gift. Telling Mimi it was only part of her pay from being the Councilor of Eagle Devision, and that see as Mimi was considered her slave, she would provide for her.
"It's been a long time since someone... was so nice to me." Mimi looked lovingly at the pouch that she held in her hands.
"Thank you Chang'ge, I'll buy you something as a thank you. What would you like?" Mimi asks her as she went to wrap her arm around her own, only to stop when she felt her start to tense up again and pulled away.
Smiling at her friend in thanks she told Mimi that by the time she and Mujin arrived in Yangzhou, it would be the mid-autumn festival in the central plains and that people would be eating mooncakes and gathering with their families to light sky-lanterns. Chang'ge turned to look at Mimi and told her the only thing she wanted was for her to try mooncakes for her since they couldn't be found on grasslands. Smiling Mimi agreed and said that she would also bring some back for her.