No Turning Back
"Come on," Xianghua called behind her. "Stop lagging behind. We're almost there." She pushed her way through the crowded street as she led Maxi and Kilik through the city. Maxi and Kilik seemed to be unconcerned with keeping up.
"Why don't you say something?" Maxi asked.
"I can't," Kilik responded. "What good will it do?"
"Maybe she'll listen."
"Not a chance. Not after the way I mysteriously disappeared three years ago."
"Well, either you make a move now, or you need do nothing forever. The wedding is in three days."
"That's not a lot of time to change her mind."
"You may not have to. Maybe she'll listen if you only say something."
The conversation immediately died when they reached Xianghua. She was standing at the door of a two story building. "It's about time you got here. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you two were conspiring something."
"What would make you think that?" Maxi chided.
Xianghua rolled her eyes as she entered the house. When she was out of earshot, Kilik grabbed Maxi by his shirt. "What are you trying to do! Are you trying to get me in trouble or embarrass me?"
Maxi crinkled his forehead as if he were bewildered. "No." He pulled himself free and walked after Xianghua. Kilik shook his head and followed.
Inside, Xianghua was greeting her aunt. She was a plump old woman with a wicked smile. Xianghua motioned for Kilik and Maxi to approach. "Here Auntie," she said. "The one with the bad hair style is Maxi, and the one with the scar is Kilik."
Maxi and Kilik both looked at Xianghua as if she'd slapped them both. She responded with a wide smile. Her aunt laughed. "Don't mind her," she assured them. "We have an understanding. I'm Lien Fa." She bowed to them both before heading for the kitchen. "You three must be starving!" she called out.
"Actually, we haven't eaten all day!" Xianghua followed Lien Fa.
Maxi looked at Kilik. "Today's the day. If you don't open your mouth, then you might as well forget everything."
"Well," Lien Fa said, "what have you been up to?"
"I was gone for only a day," Xianghua said. "What can happen in a day?"
"Famous last words." Lien Fa looked across the table to Kilik. "What about you?"
Kilik hadn't been listening. Lien Fa signaled to Maxi to get his attention. Maxi pinched Kilik's arm. Kilik lifted his fist to strike at him before realizing where he was. He placed his hand onto the table. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"
Lien Fa gave Kilik a knowing look. He deliberately averted his eyes. He felt as if she were examining him. "I asked," she finally said, "what have you been doing?"
"I spent the last three years in the mountains."
"Doing what?"
"Meditating."
Lien Fa gave him a subtle disapproving look. "Did you discover anything of interest?"
"Does it matter?"
"Kilik!" Xianghua shook her head.
"It's all right," Lien Fa said. "I just hope it was worth it."
Kilik could sense a hidden message in her words. She knew more than she was telling. It was creeping him out. He leaned towards Maxi. "Have you been talking to her?"
Maxi shook his head. "Today's the first day I met her."
"Why don't I believe you?"
"Because you're too proud to admit how transparent you are."
Kilik remained silent during the rest of the meal. Lien Fa flashed him curious looks several times. He finished eating quickly so he could leave the table early. Lien Fa gave him verbal instructions to his room. He wasted no time getting there. The first thing he did was open the window and hang his head over the window sill.
Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. "What is it?" he called. It sounded more harsh than he intended. He heard the door open and close.
"Why don't you just say it?" Lien Fa asked.
Kilik turned to face her. "What?"
"I can see right through you. You're acting like a jerk."
"What are you talking about?"
"I know what you're thinking. I see how you look at my niece."
Kilik swallowed his embarrassment. "What of it? She's getting married."
"So you do love her. Why don't you say something?"
"What difference will it make? She's made up her mind."
"Now you're just making excuses. What's wrong? You don't like taking risks? You have absolutely no idea how she'll react. It could be good."
"What's the point? She'll come up with every excuse ignore me."
"Why?" Lien Fa shrugged. "Because you suddenly disappeared without having the decency to tell her you were leaving? Did you honestly expect her to accept you with open arms when you returned? Did you think she'd be waiting for you?"
"No."
"But apparently, what you absolutely had to do in those mountains was infinitely more important. Did you find what you were looking for?"
"I don't know what I found." Kilik dropped onto the bed. "It was cold and empty there. When I left, I felt the same way."
"Maybe something was missing. That's what you get for ignoring what's right there in front of you. Fortunately for you, there is still time, but you must act quickly."
Kilik shook his head. "I can't. There isn't enough time. There's no turning back."
"So you won't even try?"
"What about her betrothed? Are you actually suggesting I break up the engagement?"
Lien Fa waved her hand as if to dismiss it. "This marriage was arranged when Xianghua was a little girl, long before she decided to join the Royal Guard. Now that she's done with the whole Soul Edge mess, she decided to go ahead with it."
"When did she do that?"
"Three years ago."
"I see."
"I hate when people give up without taking responsibility for something. If you want her, then act like it, dammit." Lien Fa lightly touched him on the shoulder. "I'll be gone all day tomorrow. Tomorrow is your last chance. If you need help with anything, just ask Maxi. He knows what to do."
"Maxi? You talked to him about this?"
"Sure I did. He and I feel the exact same way." Lien Fa pat his knee. "Don't be too upset with him. I'm a little psychic. There was no way I wouldn't know." She approached a candelabra in the corner and lit all three candles. "If you're worried about the Evil Seed that infected your body, don't be. Everything will be fine." She smiled at Kilik. "Don't be afraid. That's why people come to me for advice. I know more about them than they do before they even walk through the door. And they pay good money." She turned to leave. "Good night."
Kilik held his breath until she closed the door. "What a spooky woman." He fell to the side and snuggled against his pillow. He fell fast asleep without moving to get into bed.
Kilik dreamed of Xianghua. He saw her dressed in a red and gold cheongsam. A red veil covered her face. Small gold chains were woven into her hair. He was standing among a crowd in a temple. Xianghua was being led by the hand towards an altar by a man in formal dress. Kilik knew what was going on. That man was Xianghua's fiancé. This was their wedding.
Kilik called out to her. No sound came from his mouth. He stepped forward and ripped the veil from her head. She turned to look at him. Her mouth moved, but she had no voice either. He still could decipher the words.
I love you.
The man holding her head yanked her towards the altar. Kilik moved towards her, but the crowd stepped around him to block his path. He struggled against them, but the harder he pushed, the harder they pushed back. Kilik watched as Xianghua married someone else in front of him. When the ceremony was over, the man turned to look at Kilik and spoke three words.
No turning back.
"Come on," Xianghua called behind her. "Stop lagging behind. We're almost there." She pushed her way through the crowded street as she led Maxi and Kilik through the city. Maxi and Kilik seemed to be unconcerned with keeping up.
"Why don't you say something?" Maxi asked.
"I can't," Kilik responded. "What good will it do?"
"Maybe she'll listen."
"Not a chance. Not after the way I mysteriously disappeared three years ago."
"Well, either you make a move now, or you need do nothing forever. The wedding is in three days."
"That's not a lot of time to change her mind."
"You may not have to. Maybe she'll listen if you only say something."
The conversation immediately died when they reached Xianghua. She was standing at the door of a two story building. "It's about time you got here. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you two were conspiring something."
"What would make you think that?" Maxi chided.
Xianghua rolled her eyes as she entered the house. When she was out of earshot, Kilik grabbed Maxi by his shirt. "What are you trying to do! Are you trying to get me in trouble or embarrass me?"
Maxi crinkled his forehead as if he were bewildered. "No." He pulled himself free and walked after Xianghua. Kilik shook his head and followed.
Inside, Xianghua was greeting her aunt. She was a plump old woman with a wicked smile. Xianghua motioned for Kilik and Maxi to approach. "Here Auntie," she said. "The one with the bad hair style is Maxi, and the one with the scar is Kilik."
Maxi and Kilik both looked at Xianghua as if she'd slapped them both. She responded with a wide smile. Her aunt laughed. "Don't mind her," she assured them. "We have an understanding. I'm Lien Fa." She bowed to them both before heading for the kitchen. "You three must be starving!" she called out.
"Actually, we haven't eaten all day!" Xianghua followed Lien Fa.
Maxi looked at Kilik. "Today's the day. If you don't open your mouth, then you might as well forget everything."
"Well," Lien Fa said, "what have you been up to?"
"I was gone for only a day," Xianghua said. "What can happen in a day?"
"Famous last words." Lien Fa looked across the table to Kilik. "What about you?"
Kilik hadn't been listening. Lien Fa signaled to Maxi to get his attention. Maxi pinched Kilik's arm. Kilik lifted his fist to strike at him before realizing where he was. He placed his hand onto the table. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"
Lien Fa gave Kilik a knowing look. He deliberately averted his eyes. He felt as if she were examining him. "I asked," she finally said, "what have you been doing?"
"I spent the last three years in the mountains."
"Doing what?"
"Meditating."
Lien Fa gave him a subtle disapproving look. "Did you discover anything of interest?"
"Does it matter?"
"Kilik!" Xianghua shook her head.
"It's all right," Lien Fa said. "I just hope it was worth it."
Kilik could sense a hidden message in her words. She knew more than she was telling. It was creeping him out. He leaned towards Maxi. "Have you been talking to her?"
Maxi shook his head. "Today's the first day I met her."
"Why don't I believe you?"
"Because you're too proud to admit how transparent you are."
Kilik remained silent during the rest of the meal. Lien Fa flashed him curious looks several times. He finished eating quickly so he could leave the table early. Lien Fa gave him verbal instructions to his room. He wasted no time getting there. The first thing he did was open the window and hang his head over the window sill.
Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. "What is it?" he called. It sounded more harsh than he intended. He heard the door open and close.
"Why don't you just say it?" Lien Fa asked.
Kilik turned to face her. "What?"
"I can see right through you. You're acting like a jerk."
"What are you talking about?"
"I know what you're thinking. I see how you look at my niece."
Kilik swallowed his embarrassment. "What of it? She's getting married."
"So you do love her. Why don't you say something?"
"What difference will it make? She's made up her mind."
"Now you're just making excuses. What's wrong? You don't like taking risks? You have absolutely no idea how she'll react. It could be good."
"What's the point? She'll come up with every excuse ignore me."
"Why?" Lien Fa shrugged. "Because you suddenly disappeared without having the decency to tell her you were leaving? Did you honestly expect her to accept you with open arms when you returned? Did you think she'd be waiting for you?"
"No."
"But apparently, what you absolutely had to do in those mountains was infinitely more important. Did you find what you were looking for?"
"I don't know what I found." Kilik dropped onto the bed. "It was cold and empty there. When I left, I felt the same way."
"Maybe something was missing. That's what you get for ignoring what's right there in front of you. Fortunately for you, there is still time, but you must act quickly."
Kilik shook his head. "I can't. There isn't enough time. There's no turning back."
"So you won't even try?"
"What about her betrothed? Are you actually suggesting I break up the engagement?"
Lien Fa waved her hand as if to dismiss it. "This marriage was arranged when Xianghua was a little girl, long before she decided to join the Royal Guard. Now that she's done with the whole Soul Edge mess, she decided to go ahead with it."
"When did she do that?"
"Three years ago."
"I see."
"I hate when people give up without taking responsibility for something. If you want her, then act like it, dammit." Lien Fa lightly touched him on the shoulder. "I'll be gone all day tomorrow. Tomorrow is your last chance. If you need help with anything, just ask Maxi. He knows what to do."
"Maxi? You talked to him about this?"
"Sure I did. He and I feel the exact same way." Lien Fa pat his knee. "Don't be too upset with him. I'm a little psychic. There was no way I wouldn't know." She approached a candelabra in the corner and lit all three candles. "If you're worried about the Evil Seed that infected your body, don't be. Everything will be fine." She smiled at Kilik. "Don't be afraid. That's why people come to me for advice. I know more about them than they do before they even walk through the door. And they pay good money." She turned to leave. "Good night."
Kilik held his breath until she closed the door. "What a spooky woman." He fell to the side and snuggled against his pillow. He fell fast asleep without moving to get into bed.
Kilik dreamed of Xianghua. He saw her dressed in a red and gold cheongsam. A red veil covered her face. Small gold chains were woven into her hair. He was standing among a crowd in a temple. Xianghua was being led by the hand towards an altar by a man in formal dress. Kilik knew what was going on. That man was Xianghua's fiancé. This was their wedding.
Kilik called out to her. No sound came from his mouth. He stepped forward and ripped the veil from her head. She turned to look at him. Her mouth moved, but she had no voice either. He still could decipher the words.
I love you.
The man holding her head yanked her towards the altar. Kilik moved towards her, but the crowd stepped around him to block his path. He struggled against them, but the harder he pushed, the harder they pushed back. Kilik watched as Xianghua married someone else in front of him. When the ceremony was over, the man turned to look at Kilik and spoke three words.
No turning back.