Dàiyù, a simple girl from Ta-Lo, only she's not all that simple. Her mother died from childbirth and her father neglected her too much during her childhood. Dàiyù stayed with her grandfather, he was the one who taught her everything she needed to kn...
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"Bàba?" feeling immense anxiety, Diana entered a small hut near the sea. Ying Nan had told her that her father was sick and with no cure available, he wasn't going to last much longer. The room was empty for the most part, there was a large window for the morning breeze and a chair made out of bamboo. Diana spotted her father in a white bed. He looked weak as he narrowed his eyes at his daughter before breaking into a smile. Struggling to sit up, Diana quickly rushed to help him up.
"Dàiyù, I thought I would never see you again," he began sickly. Diana smiled sadly but said nothing. She never regretted leaving and she had no strength in her to tell her father anymore lies. "I have something for you," he gestured to a draw next to his bed and Diana made her way to it. Opening it up, she grabbed a keychain holding two keys, "I know it won't be long until I'm gone and I think you and I both know what they are for," Diana recognised one key as the key to her childhood home. The other key, well... He coughed, bringing a napkin to his mouth. Blood stained the white cloth and Diana's eyes widened.
"Is there really no cure for you?"
"We all eventually die Dàiyù. I have lived my life," Diana stared at her father, her shoulders weighing down. They talked for a little bit longer before Diana couldn't take it anymore. There was guilt and sadness weighing down her heart. Leaving the small hut, she bumped into 2 people. A girl and a boy and by the looks of it, they were siblings, maybe even twins.
"Who are you?" the woman asked coldly, staring straight into Diana's soul. She had straight black silky hair which contrasted with Diana's messy bleached ends. Her attire was well put together and she had an elegant aurora that seemed to follow every step she took. Diana couldn't lie, she almost felt intimidated by the other girl.
"I feel like I should be asking you that," Diana responded, matching her tone. The other woman let out a sound of annoyance before pushing past Diana, harshly bumping her shoulder. Diana glared daggers into the back of the girl's head before turning around to find the boy awkwardly rubbing his neck, sighing.
"Sorry about my sister, she just has a lot going on," he revealed sheepishly. Diana gave a tight smile, "I'm Li Heng and that was my twin sister Li Xingjian. I know who you are. Urm, we're actually half-siblings," he reached out a hand and Diana shook it, giving him a friendly smile.
"I should probably go."
"Where are you heading?" she told him that she was just walking up the street and he offered to come with her to which she accepted. Children ran around, playing with each other while the older teens trained with their mentors. Warriors practised their moves and farmers carried baskets of wheat. Diana couldn't lie, there was a small part of Ta-Lo that she missed, "I always wondered how we never met," he started as they walked side by side.
"Well, I avoided you as best as I could," Diana said truthfully. Heng chuckled, at her bluntness.
"You know I heard a lot about you," Diana raised her eyebrows waiting for him to continue, "Master Guang would always compare us to his prize pupil. Well, he would never name the person but there were rumours that it was you."
"I was a fast learner," Diana smiled, surprised. Thinking back, she remembered a few things about Heng. He was only a few years younger than Diana. She remember a small boy who stuck by his sister. She remembered when she would watch her father spend time with his other family. She remembered the bitter feelings she harboured for the boy next to her. Walking with him now, she realised how much her jealousy had consumed her. Maybe they could have been friends before if not for her.
"How are you finding being back here?"
"It feels different, but I don't think anything has changed," she answered truthfully.
"Maybe you changed," Diana's mind froze. She hadn't thought of that. Comparing herself with the girl that left her homeland, Diana found major differences - like the fact that the tips of her hair were bleached and the fact that she had found her chosen family. Speaking of them, Diana's eyes locked onto Shang's and she bid Heng farewell.
"Hey," Diana smiled as she reached Shang, "Where's everyone else?"
"Trevour's somewhere with Morris, Xialing is resting and I have no idea where Katy is," he replied, going on a little ramble. He shoved his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his feet. He hadn't realised this before, but a nervous feeling had crept up on him.
"Well, come," she motioned with her hand, "I want to show you something."
[828 words]
a/n
btw that gif up top is totally Diana when Xingjian bumped into her.
