A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

Informant

One month later...

(WANG DAO)

"When's the last time you shaved, my Prince?" I asked Prince Jin while we were sitting in the dark waiting for our informant. Staring into Prince Jin's face, I noticed that his beard and mustache have grown since the last time I saw him which was last week. I also asked him then if he has plans to shave but the Prince mostly ignored my questions nowadays.

Which I think is still the case now because instead of answering my inquiry, he gave back a question of his own. "When's the last time you ate?"

I decided to answer in the hope he will answer my question as well. "Yesterday...luncheon?" I was also not sure. "I am fine..."

"You are highly stimulated by the blue opia," The Prince drawled in disapproval. "I really don't know how I will explain this all to your sister." He added in a pained tone.

"I can explain myself to Hua," I assured the Prince with a snicker.

"Truly?"Prince Jin sounded like he lacks confidence in my ability to do what I just claim I could do. "And can you also play the role of my counsel. I'll pay you generously. Defend the fact that I was here with you yet I didn't manage to get you in control."

"I am not yours to control," I growled, starting to feel annoyance at the implications of his words.

"Look after then," Prince Jin continued to argue.

"I can look after myself. I am capable of doing that. I don't need anyone, least of all you, to look after me." I snorted. "Between the two of us, I'm not the one living with a treacherous witch of a mother and the whole Mughal Royal Family close by. Living in a Palace where my life could be forfeited in any moment." I reminded the Prince of that. Between the two of us, he is the one living at the edge of the cliff. Living in danger...

Prince Jin sighed. "I miss your sister."

I closed my eyes at the raw emotion spilled with those words. Prince Jin is not missing my sister, that's a gross misrepresentation of what he is feeling. Of what we are both feeling. We miss our home. We miss our families. And yes, we both miss Hua. Maybe in different capacities and ways but the truth remains, we both miss my sister.

But more than missing all of those things, we long to be back home.

It's been five slow moving months already since we left the Middle Kingdom to get here in the Mughal Empire with two missions in hand. Wait for our "special target" and eliminate it together with Princess XiLen. Five long months of waiting and still no end in sight.

Tonight, on a rooftop, we are waiting for an informant that could give us some clue on how soon our "special target" will arrive.

But it's not like living constantly in danger doesn't have its advantages. It surely teaches us to operate sanely in the dark. Living under the shadow of the night is now natural for me and Prince Jin like breathing.

I was about to comment when Prince Jin shush me silently by putting a finger against his lips, "Look alert, our informant is here." He whispered while pointing at someone slithering between walls of houses to hide in the shadows.

I smiled, "Finally, some excuse to stretch my legs." I said.

Prince Jin smiled, clearly amuse. "Then by all means, my dear brother in law...he is all yours." My twin's intended stepped away from me so I can start the job we have tonight.

But before I could jump to start the chase, I frowned at Prince Jin. "How hostile will this informant be?"

Prince Jin shrugged. "I heard he could be handy with knives as he has decades passing here in the Mughal Kingdom," he said before chuckling, "So, nothing to be concern about."