92 Orders

As usual, Xin was still fast asleep whilst I sat watching the light come up. Rising, I went to the door and looked out. 

Everywhere was coated with a heavy dew and the air hung with fog.

I liked mornings like this, they may herald a wet bed, damp belongings and a weak fire, but once the sun burnt through, it often became a bright winter sun day.

'Please let today bring the blessings of blue sky and bright sun'.

Having offered my request to the sky I turned back to see Xin propped up under her skins, looking at me.

"So we pack and move out today?"

"Yes. We might as well have a good breakfast then get ready to leave. This is a good time to slip out unnoticed, especially if the fog hangs about."

"How long before the gates open?"

It was a good call. If we could get on our way when the gates open we could be a long way down the road by the afternoon.

Xin got out of bed and threw some clothes on. "You get breakfast sorted and I'll go and check with Bǎo, see how long it'll be before they're ready to go. They've got the cart to load, or have they done that, not sure?"

With that she disappeared leaving me with the sorting of our bundles, rolling the bedding and making a breakfast.

Bǎo had been up since just before light. He'd made sure everyone was up and dressed, all he had to do was load up and eat something.

He looked up at the sky and hoped this blanket of fog would remain until they had at least left the town. The muffling effect of the fog would stop many realising there had been any major movement of people whilst the fog itself would discourage the general population from moving until later.

He heard light footsteps coming their way and stepped outside the unassuming building.

Xin ran up almost bumping into him.

"Ooph, sorry, the fog's thicker up this end of the lane. We were wondering when you'd be ready? We're about to eat something, then finish packing up. We'll be ready within the hour."

Bǎo smiled but he doubted she could see it clearly. He adored this wayward creature and her extreme ways, her thieving skills and her generosity, her ability to beguile men.

"We will need about twice that but we should be ready as the gates are opened. We will trundle past you two, so pick you up on the way. Is that okay with you?"

"Yes, perfect." She clapped her hands together quietly so as not to make too much noise and like a child, jumped up and down on the spot, "Ooh, we're heading home." She grinned widely, beaming at him. How to disarm a man in seconds. " We're going home where it's warmer and food is aplenty. Exciting." And with that she skipped off.

Second Master was already up, sorting the final bits and pieces. The logistics of moving so many injured was a nightmare,  but he was not prepared to leave anyone behind.

He heard his father's voice in his head, 'leave them. If they die, they die, they're no use to us....' He was a hard, uncaring man and Second Master had heard these sentiments many times in the past.

'No, I'm not like my father, I'm like my mother. I miss her, but for as long as I live I will keep her compassion alive!'

He turned to the doorway and looked out on the fog. 'Officer Bǎo and his unit have perfect cover. Good. They need to be ahead of us, we can't afford ambushes with so many men lying in carts.'

"Attendant, where are we up to? I need to know final details within the hour if we are going to move to new quarters by the end of today?"

"Sir, yes Sir. I've spoken with the unit officers and their men have to do final packing and they'll be free to help load the injured onto the wagons. All the preparations should be finalized by mid morning, so we could move, as requested, by midday." He cleared his throat and looked down as he spoke the next part. "The doctor has visited Senior Master Chen and has given him a bowl of specialised soup to, um, relieve his nerves. They have suggested a second bowl later this afternoon to maintain an easy transit."

"Excellent, the quieter he is the easier this whole operation will be. Give orders to the troops and physicians to prepare the carts and wagons and begin loading up. I want to get moving as soon as feesable."

The attendant started. This gave less time than he'd imagined. He had to speed everything up if they were to make a tighter deadline.

"Yes, Sir." With that, the attendant left, leaving Second Master to ponder his next move.

"You ready?" It was Bǎo. They had got ready in record time and stood outside our doorway.

"Yes, can't wait," I replied. "How are we going to play this? We can't all go at once,  too obvious and could get back to the barracks."

Bǎo nodded, "Agreed. You two go first and turn left out of the gates. We'll go right and leave in two groups, as if on patrol. They're used to that.  That'll leave the cart, which will also turn left. If you two wait for the cart, then we can meet up the far side of town on the road out."

I agreed. He'd thought this through and his logic worked. The guards were used to our comings and goings but in small groups. I suddenly thought of something. "Xin and I have two large bundles. That's something they'd not expect. Is it okay to put one in the cart under the sacking? We'll carry the other."

"Put them them here Miss," it was Zǐmò. "Good to see you Miss."

I smiled. "One day you'll call me Niao."

"Miss Niao," and he grinned wider. Tucking everything down tight in the back of the cart, we said our goodbyes and headed with eight of the men toward the town gates. Not long and there would be freedom once more.

Odd. I had butterflies. 

"Niao?" Xin looked at me wide eyed. "You nervous? As if we're doing something but don't know why we feel like that?"

"I do. It's the thought of being free of this place and everything we've experienced here. Let's face it, it's not been a walk in the woods, has it?"

She hugged my arm. "No. But we've been together and that's made it easier. I'd hate to think we'd have to do this without each other." She shuddered, "I couldn't have coped."

I put my hand on hers. "That part's over, now we fight for freedom and the house in the hills."

She smiled and her whole face lit up, "Ooh, that house, the hills, the stream, the lake." She sighed and put her head on my shoulder, "tell me about it again." And with that we walked toward the gates to wait with others until the gates were swung open for another day and I told her, once more, about the house in the woods, the old lady and the lake of water lilies.