Ling played quietly in the courtyard, bored without a playmate. He looked for his friend. "Ran Fan?" She seemed to step directly out of the shadow in front of him. She was too good at that, for a ten-year-old, in Ling's opinion.
"Yes, Young Master?" she asked. Ling grinned; she was so shy.
"Will you play with me?"
Ran Fan looked at the ground. "I can't. I have to guard you." she glanced up into his disappointed face. "But I can stay closer to you, where you can see me. If you'd like." she added, wanting to cheer him up.
He smiled happily, so Ran Fan sat down on the ground, keeping a sharp eye on her master, and the area around him.
Suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she instinctively jumped up and ran toward Ling. She didn't think, she just moved. Her ingrained purpose that had been drilled into her since as long as she could remember took over and she jumped in front of him.
Something thudded into her shoulder and she told herself to ignore the pain that would come in moments. She gritted her teeth and spotted the would-be assassin. She threw her kunai, alerting the other bodyguards of his position. She tried to follow, but the pain in her shoulder was too much and she sank to the ground, clutching it and fighting for consciousness.
"Ran Fan! Are you all right?" Ling asked, rushing over to her, kneeling beside her.
"I'm fine. Get to safety." she growled. When he didn't move, she shoved him. "Go!"
He reluctantly backed away. "I'll repay you someday, Ran Fan."
"Don't be stupid. This is my job. Just go."
--
Ran Fan grasped the stump of the of where her arm once was. Ling had returned the favor and saved her life. Not only from Bradley, but also from herself.
