Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything.

Note: Sorry for not updating. I got lazy.

Thou Shalt Not Fall For Thy Own Sister

8: Conversation

It was dawn and I was walking aimlessly in the Tao main mansion, exploring all the halls, rooms and corridors.

It was really huge.

This the second time I went to this place, the first being the incident when Ren fought his father with the help of his friends.

The mansion was just so huge that I couldn't even cover half of its grounds in a week. But, since my lady did say that we would be staying here a few months, I think I would have enough time to go about.

Unless something happens.

Unless something drastic happens that Tao Jun has to leave this place instantly. Now that I think about it, Tao Ren is here too, so I guess that raises the probability that something will happen sooner or later.

I stopped in my tracks the moment I came across a very familiar room.

The gym. Also known as the training grounds.

I entered, moving silently so as not to disturb the lone wolf who was swinging his kwan dao furiously against the air as if it was his sparring partner.

Tao Ren.

He glared at me as he took notice of my presence. Ren, I shook my head, always the same glare yet manages to freak people out in different ways.

Ren stood still for a moment, catching his breath.

Knowing that a moment of silence doesn't really make up Ren, I walked closer. He didn't flinch.

Sighing, I crossed my arms against my chest and pressed my back against the nearest wall. He will talk to me.

"What do you want?" He asked in a monotone voice. He knew what I wanted to ask but he probably wants me to say it directly.

"What do you plan to do, Tao Ren?"

"About what?"

"About the betrothal of Tao Jun and Li Fei."

He did not say anything.

At that instant, I wished I could read his mind. I have some ideas of what might be registering in his thoughts but all of them are highly negative. It included him challenging Li in a fight, him ambushing Li's car, and in a worst-case scenario, Tao Ren killing Li Fei in front of all people Ren could gather.

Ren is rather the violent type and I assure everyone that if someone gets into his nerves, I doubt if that person will EVER try to cross paths with him again. That is, if he LIVED the first time.

Ren, too, is obsessive. So, I do not think peace will ensure itself inside the Tao mansion in the following days.

The kid spoke suddenly, cutting my train of thoughts.

"I don't like him, Pai Lon." And as he spoke, his golden orbs flashed dangerously.

There was this murderous urge that I sensed flowing from him.

I feared.

"Ren," I trembled, "...you can't possibly..." My eyes narrowed.

He smirked.

"Watch."

I felt my knees weaken.

He can't possibly...can he...?

He was always vicious and cruel, yes. Whenever he gets into a fight, he often strikes his enemies hard; hard enough to have each of them lay in comatose for the rest of their lives but I swear the kid has never killed anyone directly. Sure, some of his opponents died but it wasn't intentional. They died of blood loss, though it all rooted back to Ren stabbing them in the first place, the kid didn't really mean to kill them. He just wanted them to bleed, not to die.

"Besides, I don't think you like him much too." He spoke again.

I pulled myself together.

"Yes, you're right. I do not like him but he is my lady's future husband. I don't have any choice."

And it was true.

I do not like Li Fei.

But I don't have any choice, do I? I am just a puppet. As much as I hate to admit, Ren was right about me being just one of the Tao clan's bodyguards. I am just another figure lingering around in the shadows.

I am just a 'bodyguard' and my main and only concern must be protecting my lady, making sure she is away from harm. Other than that, I do not possess any right to meddle in anything else she is involved into.

Hurts, but true.

I cannot do anything while Ren has the power to do anything and everything he wants to do.

"I am doing you a favor so thank me for it."

I shut my eyes.

If Li disappears, my lady Jun shall be ours again. Ren will still be there, I know, but at least there would only be the three of us. On the other hand, if Li does disappear, I don't know what Tao Jun would think and feel. She has the tendency to feel unwanted and I don't want that. Definitely not.

However, if I did choose to do something about Ren's insanity, will I able to do something? Not just that, if I was able to sabotage the kid's plan, which I believe requires a lot of force, what will my lady think of me? I don't think she will be happy to find out that her own puppet tried to harm her brother. Lastly, will I be able to tell her about her brother's obsession?

I sighed as I opened my eyes.

Ren was no longer there.

"Ren?"

I turned and exited the gym.

I walked again.

I should not think about these things, I shook my head.

Fei was a shaman and if I heard right, he was a very good one. If that was so, certainly he could hold his own against Ren. I doubt if Tao En would allow a weak man to enter his family.

About my lady...

I'm not so sure...