servant and master (oneshot)

[qiguai]

servant and master
m.i.c, jianci/wang hao
nc-17, idkw
backstory for game of thrones au at wulabaha


7 and 10.

"I don't want him."

Jianci blinked in the bright light of the courtyard. After being kept in the back of a wagon, cramped and dirty and hardly fed, it felt like his legs were about to give out. The people lined up on either side of him were all older and no one he knew. Even on their long journey here he hadn't gotten to know them. They spoke a completely different dialect and they all knew what his paler complexion and smaller stature meant. He was different from them, but in the eyes of their captors they were all the same. Their languages were similar enough and they'd been captured in the same area, so how could they be anything but?

Standing before this line of half-starved and exhausted people, a young boy frowned down at Jianci and put his hands on his hips. "I don't want him," he repeated in a tone that made it clear he was used to getting exactly what he wanted, nothing else.

The man standing a ways behind him even looked amused by it. He was a giant man, his features similar enough to the boy to assume they were related. His armor gleamed gold and made Jianci squint. He'd been there when Jianci had been taken; a hulking, blinding sun with a sword that slashed through four times as many people as they'd taken as slaves. Just looking at him made Jianci's knees weak, even more so when he remembered what he was supposed to do here.

"You said you wanted a servant," the sun chuckled and took a step forward. Jianci fought the urge to back away. The boy's eyes were still on him, analyzing every move. It took all of Jianci's will to maintain the distant, emotionless expression on his face. No emotion would serve him well here.

His appraiser didn't look away as he spoke, as if Jianci wasn't even there, "What good will he be as a servant? He's younger than I am!" He scoffed, but Jianci noticed a flicker of interest. "Can you even speak the common tongue?"

A man, one of theirs, translated it into the wrong dialect from the end of the line. Jianci stared into the boy's face like he couldn't see him.

Maintain ignorance. Be as invisible as an insect. What they don't see they can't stop.

The boy looked to the sun and glared, but the man simply laughed and turned away. "A lord makes use of all his servants. Think of this as a challenge." He waved over his shoulder and the boy looked ready to spit. When he turned back to Jianci, his eyes flashed and Jianci felt surely he was going to be punished. But instead the boy stood there a moment and regarded Jianci with obvious contemplation. The anger from earlier had disappeared along with the frightening man.

"Get him some decent clothes and feed him." Jianci's composure faltered and if the boy hadn't been looking at the translating servant he'd have noticed the look of surprise for sure. Thankfully his mask was in place when the boy glanced at him again, muttering before whipping around towards the castle, "Tell him my name is Wang Hao. And find out his."

Jianci didn't hear the translation. After all, he didn't need to. My name is Jianci, he wanted to say, the words clawed at his throat so badly he thought he was going to choke. But Wang Hao was already making his way inside, running after his father.

Wang Hao figured it out after three days. The fault was all Jianci's, but it was inevitable he'd break his silence eventually with all of Wang Hao's questions. Jianci's bed was in the servants corners off the kitchen, but from dawn until late into the night he was by Wang Hao's side, and the lordling never seemed to tire of talking to his new servant. Despite their first encounter, Wang Hao turned out not to be impatient or really all that displeased with having Jianci around. He was the son of a lord, born and raised in privilege, so he knew how to give orders and Jianci knew how to follow. This wasn't Jianci's first time serving anyone, after all, so he found it easy to run from chore to chore, and that seemed to be enough to please his new master.

It was the not talking that proved the hard, and eventually impossible.

Servants were usually quiet, seen but not heard facets of castle life. The other occupants of the castle paid little heed to their servants, the only interactions being orders or reprimands or sometimes worse. Wang Hao was no different when they went about their business outside. Jianci accompanied him everywhere, did anything that was asked, and observed quietly that the sun, Wang Hao's father, the lord of the castle, showed obvious approval for how quickly Wang Hao had adapted to his new possession. Wang Hao was clearly pleased as well, the perfect little lord to be. And Jianci's expression never changed.

When the day was over and Wang Hao retreated to his chambers, that facade was harder to keep up. While Wang Hao was serious and composed in front of others, when he was alone he was a bit of a chatterbox. The fact that Jianci never replied didn't deter him in the least, as a matter of fact Jianci got the feeling Wang Hao enjoyed having someone who listened and never gave input. Ironically, Jianci found it hard to hate that part of his master. Jianci found it hard to hate him at all, though he chalked that up to having had far worse masters in the past. All in all, his life in the castle was comfortable compared to his past life.

Every night, Wang Hao had Jianci sit in a chair beside his bed while Wang Hao talked himself into exhaustion. Jianci learned all kinds of things about the people and the castle and the lands, but most of all he listened to Wang Hao's thoughts. Everything that came to mind, he was pretty sure. It wasn't until Wang Hao looked over at Jianci on that third night, stopping in the middle of a particularly interesting story about unicorns, that Jianci realized he'd been caught.

"I know you understand me, Jianci," Wang Hao grumbled, and then ordered Jianci off to bed.

Jianci spent night after night wide awake. He was sure that Wang Hao would tell, that in the middle of the night one of those soldiers would storm into the servants' quarters and drag him off to his death. A servant did not lie. A servant also should not be educated enough to learn the common tongue. His entire existence was suspicious, and he knew it only became worse after Wang Hao confronted him. Jianci tried to return to his invisible, expressionless self, thinking that maybe Wang Hao would forget it or doubt himself, but it turned out to be impossible. Every time Wang Hao looked his way Jianci flinched guiltily. Instead of sitting quietly at Wang Hao's bedside Jianci found himself fidgeting nervously and missing parts of the story. Wang Hao's annoyance at Jianci's new behavior worsened every day to the point that he snapped every order and cursed when Jianci made mistakes. Jianci knew it was only a matter of time until Wang Hao had him killed.

Usually Wang Hao had his lessons in the library, but as the weather grew colder the lord ordered for the tutor to make the journey to Wang Hao's chambers instead, where it was better insulated. The lessons would last for three hours every evening, and then Wang Hao would spend another hour or two reviewing. He never looked like he enjoyed it much, but Wang Hao never complained or neglected his studies. Jianci's role in this was to stand in the corner shoulder Wang Hao need anything, which he rarely did.

"Come here," Wang Hao ordered seconds after the tutor closed the door behind him. Jianci flinched but obeyed, stepping towards the desk with obvious hesitation. Wang Hao turned and glared at him. "No, come here," he repeated, gesturing until Jianci was standing directly beside him. "Can you read this?"

Jianci took forever to shift his gaze from his feet to the book on the table. He stared at the strange lines on the page and bit his lip.

"Jianci, answer me. Can you read it?" Wang Hao was staring at the page just as intently but his tone was icy.

After a moment, Jianci exhaled in a barely audible, "No."

Wang Hao glanced at him again, but this time without so much anger. Without warning, he began pointing to the different tiny characters on the page, rambling about their use, their pronunciation. Jianci's mouth fell open and he struggled to grasp the words, and his look of confusion made Wang Hao roll his eyes and leave his seat. Jianci assumed this was where he was supposed to leave, but Wang Hao stopped him before he could take a step. He grabbed another book from the shelf beside the desk and opened it. There were less words in this one, and as Wang Hao started explaining again, Jianci found he could follow along better. As he repeated the things Wang Hao ordered him to, Jianci gradually stopped whispering, his voice rising to a quiet mumble.

Somehow Wang Hao never tired of it. They spent all night at Wang Hao's desk, and Wang Hao only laughed when he noticed the sun rising through his window.

"I want Jianci to have lessons, too."

In the back of the hall, Jianci almost gasped, catching himself at the last second and glancing around to make sure no one noticed. Thankfully, all eyes were on Wang Hao, who stood proudly before his father and seemed unbothered by the incredulous murmurs rumblings around him.

The lord sat erect in his tall chair and a mild smile of amusement played on his lips. "Lessons, for a servant?" He was the first to look in Jianci's direction, and his gaze left no question to what he thought of what he saw. "Not even a servant, but a slave?"

Wang Hao hardly blinked. "Yes. He may be a servant, but he's my servant, and I want my servant to be educated."

"Why on earth would you want that?" The great man laughed, and his court laughed their approval around them.

"A skilled servant is worth a thousand unskilled ones," Wang Hao replied. "You keep several yourself, my lord." The slight tinge of insolence in Wang Hao's voice made the entire hall pause. The tension made the hair on the back of Jianci's neck stand on end, and he wanted more than anything to speak up and beg the lord to forget everything. But that would only make it worse.

After a moment, the lord coughed a less amused laugh. "You truly are my son," he said, though his voice wasn't the most approving. He ran a hand through his beard and waved Wang Hao off, done with the matter. "Save that strength for a cause worth pursuing, and don't bother me with this nonsense again."

Wang Hao's jaw clenched, but he bowed and withdrew. Jianci followed without being asked; at this point, Wang Hao knew he didn't need to.

That night, again after the tutor retreated to his own rooms, Wang Hao brought out the book and called Jianci over. "My father is a wise man," he said when Jianci looked at him in surprise. "But that doesn't mean he's always in the right." Wang Hao nodded to himself, looking quite pleased with his choice in words, before starting the lesson.

With his days filled with endless chores and following Wang Hao, and his nights kept equally busy with his new lessons, the weeks slipped by without Jianci realizing. He adjusted rather easily to Wang Hao's lifestyle, and Wang Hao was less grumpy now, more inclined to be patient, and that made it easier. The tutor practically smothered Wang Hao with praises for how much he was improving in his studies, and Wang Hao's lordly father grew prouder every day. The lord, and everyone with the exception of Wang Hao, completely forgot about Jianci. Jianci became a new fixture, something they expected to see to the point that they didn't see him.

When Jianci returned to his bed and felt something hard under his pillow, his heart sank. The next morning he awoke before all the other servants and crept into a corner of the courtyard he knew wasn't visible from any of the entrances. He knew what was in the nondescript paper package, but his throat still seized up when the cold metal slid against his palm. The feel was so familiar, and his muscled tensed as they remembered their training, gripping the handle firmly. This was what he'd come here for, after all. This was the purpose of his life.

He'd accomplished the first part of his mission. He was invisible, and in the perfect position to to carry out the second. In his hand he had all that he needed. He knew what he was supposed to do next.

That didn't mean he was happy about it.

Jianci was no skilled assassin. He was a novice of the order whom they deemed expendable. An actual assassin would have stood out in a group of captured slaves, but a seemingly harmless child did not, and with his bit of training Jianci wasn't harmless at all. That didn't mean he was ready. He'd spent more time cleaning up dishes and mopping floors than thinking about killing people. The novices were nothing but servants to the brotherhood until they came of age. And yet here he was, on a mission at the age of seven.

The masters had called it an honor. Jianci hadn't been so sure then, and he certainly wasn't now.

In the end Jianci hid the knives in his tunic and crept back to his bed. That day Wang Hao greeted him brightly with the news that Jianci would be getting his own room closer to Wang Hao's chambers. It was hardly the size of a closet, but it was private, perfect for hiding the knives. All day he was even more quiet than usual, which Wang Hao scolded him for on several occasions, but Jianci couldn't shake the bitter thought that fate had given him every opportunity to succeed in his mission, but had given him none of the will.

Jianci knew he hadn't done a good job of hiding his mood, but that didn't make it any less of a shock when Wang Hao figured everything out. After running to the kitchens to fetch Wang Hao's breakfast, Jianci returned to find Wang Hao gone. He set the tray on the desk and peeked out the door, which was all he needed to do to notice the door to his room was ajar. His heart dropped into his stomach as he tiptoed down the hall, and he almost bolted when he peered inside and found Wang Hao sitting on his bed, the knife resting on the blanket beside him. Wang Hao looked lost in thought, his expression unreadable, but he spoke with a strange kind of solemnity the second Jianci appeared.

"Come in and close the door."

Jianci did as he was asked, his hands shaking so badly he had to clasp them behind his back. As he looked at Wang hao, he marveled at how the young lord could be only three years older than him. From the day they'd met Wang Hao had seemed practically an adult, and now more so than ever.

Wang Hao turned and looked Jianci in the eye. "These are yours." It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

Eyes flickering to the knives, Jianci opened his mouth to protest, but nodded instead. Wang Hao nodded as well, and turned away again. The air felt heavy as Jianci struggled to breathe. Whatever controlled he'd exercised over his face and emotions was blown away now. Wang Hao had already discovered a secret, but chose to trust Jianci instead. Wang Hao had helped Jianci, and this was how Jianci was repaying him. When Wang Hao's mouth opened, Jianci braced himself, but all the lordling did was sigh.

He picked up the knives and wrapped them in the paper. "You won't be using these, so you'd just better forget about them."

Jianci's mouth hung open, but when Wang Hao turned to him again, he nodded. Wang Hao looked years older, his eyes sad but resigned. He shoved the knives into his cloak and went to leave the room, pausing at the door.

"Whoever you were before, forget that, too," he said quietly. His tone was strained, like he was attempting to give an order but didn't have the energy. "None of that is important anymore. You're here now. You're mine now." A hand grabbed Jianci's wrist, squeezing hard but not painfully so. "Do you understand?"

Jianci nodded.

"Answer me, Jianci."

"I understand."

10 and 13.

Across the courtyard, Wang Hao swung his sword and with a reverberating clang his opponent's weapon went flying. Jianci sat in his usual spot on the edge of the well and peeled a tangerine, thoughtfully popping sections into his mouth as he watched. Truthfully, he wasn't paying much attention, but to the casual onlooker he would seem the perfect attentive servant. Minus the tangerine, of course, but Wang Hao had given it to him on the way out of the kitchens so he didn't think anyone would question it.

The training had been going for two hours now. It was the same every day, just another part of their schedule. Their schedule was exactly what had Jianci so distracted, because for the first time in a year they were expecting an actual upset to their comfortable daily lives. Wang Hao wasn't much affected by the upcoming visitors, but Jianci had a lot to plan, a lot to think about. His job was to keep Wang Hao on time and somewhat presentable for the duration of the stay, which was generally no problem but still required a lot of preparation. Wang Hao's boots needed to be shined, his more formal attire re-fitted because it'd been months since he'd last worn them and had filled out a bit in the meantime.

Their guests would no doubt find Jianci's presence a strange thing. Young servants were usual enough, but were never saddled with real responsibility. The children servants spent their days scrubbing floors, assisting older servants and running errands. Jianci ran nearly every aspect of Wang Hao's life.

Just when the sun rose to cast heavy, sweltering beams down on their heads, the trainer brought his sword down and flipped open his helmet. Wang Hao did the same, and even from across the yard Jianci could see the sweat shining on his face. By contrast, the trainer just looked a bit winded. "Enough for today," the grim man said, and turned back towards the armory. Wang Hao visibly sagged with relief and staggered after him. Not needing an order, Jianci hopped to his feet and let the peels fall to the ground as he half-jogged towards the dark armory.

Wang Hao was still panting heavily as Jianci removed his armor. his face bright red and hair sticking to his forehead. Beneath his armor, his tunic was soaked. "When can I eat?" he all but whined, low enough that Jianci was the only one who could here. No one else in the room was paying them much attention anyway. The trainer was discussing something with the armorer, and the few other soldiers who loitered around the room would never spare their time for a couple of kids.

"After you change," he replied softly. Wang Hao grumbled something, but didn't argue. As soon as Jianci returned Wang Hao's armor to its proper place, the two of them departed, Jianci as always a pace or two behind his master.

Once they were back in Wang Hao's chambers, both of them were able to relax. The liberties of friendship Wang Hao allowed Jianci were limited strictly to within these walls, but being there put both of them equally at ease. Jianci took his time as he helped Wang Hao changed, humming to himself as he peeled off Wang Hao's filthy clothes.

"This is such a nuisance," Wang Hao grumbled while Jianci readied his new clothes. They weren't his nicest, but the embroidery on the doublet was finely made and it would do perfectly fine for first meeting their guests. "Father says that I'll have to dance with people at the ball. Dance." He scoffed and narrowed his eyes at Jianci as he worked on the buttons up the front of Wang Hao's shirt. "You dance with them. I command you."

Jianci didn't look up from his work and continued flattening a few wrinkles with his hands. "Refusing to dance with a lord's daughter and giving her a servant in your place is the worst insult imaginable."

Wang Hao grumbled again, but Jianci didn't pay it any mind. The lordling may have been going through a rebellious stage, but in the end he was just another boy trying to win his father's approval.

The hall was filled with courtiers that afternoon when the herald announced the visitors' arrival. The lord straightened in his throne and Wang Hao looked uncomfortably stiff, but at least proper. Jianci stood near the back, as usual, observing it all from his invisible distance. As the horns blew and the large doors swung open, Jianci stifled a yawn with the back of his hand. Wang Hao might have thrown him a curious glance, because it was rare Jianci ever showed how he was feeling, but the people striding into the hall were plenty enough distraction to draw Wang Hao's gaze away.

Hiding his exhaustion had been a struggle all morning. Every minute of Wang Hao's training had dragged by, and while he'd been getting his lord ready Jianci had been worried Wang Hao had noticed the bags under his eyes, but if he had - he probably had - he hadn't mentioned it. Jianci didn't like letting his servant's mask falter in the slightest, but functioning on no sleep wasn't one of his skills. He was a stickler about taking care of Wang Hao, but just as strict with himself. He couldn't perform his duties well otherwise. But nothing could have prepared him for those dreams.

His gut clenched just thinking about them. The dream hadn't even taken a concrete shape, but it had sent him nearly falling from his bed with cold sweat dripping down his face. All he could remember was being on the ground, helpless, not able to move because of the feet and hands raining down on him from above. Around him was only darkness, so he couldn't see his foe's face or know how many were attacking him. There was no light, just the seemingly never ending pain.

Jianci couldn't think about that now. The visitors stood before their lord and bowed low; above, Wang Hao's father smiled down approvingly. "We welcome you to our home, friends."

The friend returned the smile proudly. "May prosperity follow your horse in all things," he returned courteously before he gestured to the young children beside him. "I don't believe you've ever met my brood. My eldest of an age with your heir; I do hope they become fast friends." The biggest boy beside him bowed again, his expression frozen in a polite but unreadable expression. There were two younger boys as well and a girl, but the lord didn't bother with an introduction for them, his smile twisting on his face as he continued, "You're lucky not to have to manage such an unruly number."

The room was silent at that, and Jianci could practically feel Wang Hao tense from across that massive space. Wang Hao's mother's delicate health was no secret, after all, and neither was the knowledge that she would never give their lord a second child. Many believed it a godsend that she'd even given him an heir at all, but there were some who chuckled over their cups about a man having so few children. On the dais, the lord's eyes narrowed, but he showed no further reaction. The two lords exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then the court was dismissed so the visitors could settle into their rooms.

Wang Hao looked murderous from the moment he awoke the next morning. If Jianci hadn't been so thoroughly exhausted, he might have found it amusing. As it was his vision refused to stay in focus when he went to fetch Wang Hao's breakfast, and he almost stumbled up the winding stairs as he returned. "I'll knock his sword from his hands and spank it with him until he cries for his fat, ugly mother," Wang Hao growled through bites of food while Jianci stood to the side. His eyes drooped now and then, but at least when he was standing still he didn't stumble. Dressing Wang Hao that morning turned out to be more of a struggle, and he caught Wang Hao staring at him in his own unique combination of annoyance and concern.

"Are you sick? You look terrible." He hesitated when Jianci merely shrugged, as if not wanting to say what he said next. "There are other servants. You can stay in your room today if you aren't well."

Jianci smiled at Wang Hao, always genuinely touched no matter how much annoyance or insult Wang Hao's worry was laced with. "Only a few dreams," he murmured, though with how weak his voice was he words couldn't have been very reassuring. Still, Jianci knew that Wang Hao preferred Jianci's presence to the point that he'd take any excuse to keep him near, so those few words worked well enough. The tone of the morning had changed, though, and even if Wang Hao was clearly just as worked up about having a practice match with the visitor's son, he remained rather subdued as Jianci finished getting him ready. These were the kinds of differences in Wang Hao Jianci knew no one else could sense, but that only made him smile. It wasn't like Wang Hao wasn't just as innately aware of Jianci's moods as well. This was just how they worked.

Even out of his armor, the visitor's heir was both taller and bulkier than Wang Hao. No one in the castle dare commented on how little their lordling took after their lord, but today the difference in their sizes were too noticeable, and Jianci knew Wang Hao was just as aware of the whisperings as Jianci was. Wang Hao hardly looked at Jianci as he strapped on Wang Hao's armor, staring intently at the wall in the armory while his opponent's eyes bore into his back. Jianci felt those hostile eyes shift to him, too, before the boy snicked in amusement.

"Your family can't even afford a proper servant for their heir?" he sneered now that they were in a room full of servants, far away from their fathers and the other nobles.

A few servants were at work on his armor, and Jianci noted how sharply he barked orders at them and how they flinched at every slight gesture. Wang Hao could be bratty and hard to keep under control, but he was anything but cruel. For that Jianci would always be grateful. Even through the thick leather of the practice armor Jianci felt Wang Hao tense, but his gaze remained fixed on the wall.

"That thing is so small he isn't even a proper boy. Don't tell me you're letting a fucking eunuch touch you." Jianci made the mistake at glancing at the boy at the exact moment those beady, angry eyes flickered over him. "Did they chop off your cock and make you eat it all so you could come to this pathetic excuse for a castle and serve an impotent lord's only son?"

"Enough." Wang Hao's voice had a steely tone that Jianci had only heard directed at him once in his entire life, and he would be glad never to experience it again. Turning to his opponent, Wang Hao gave him one last glare before he stalked out of the armory and into the yard.

That evening, every face in the castle glowed with pride, but none more so than Wang Hao's. The lord's smile was a close second, and as Wang Hao had dusted himself off after giving the nasty boy a thwack across his ass that had sent him tumbling into the dirt, that smile was spread from ear to ear. Jianci had never seen the lord so happy or so proud, and Jianci had pretended not to notice the way fresh tears were mixed with the sweat on Wang Hao's cheeks as Jianci removed his armor.

While all of the servants rushed about to prepare for the feast and celebration to come that night, Jianci was happy to follow Wang Hao back up to his rooms and not have to help. The brief match had been fine entertainment, and the excitement following had given him enough of an adrenaline rush to stave off his exhaustion, but every step he took up the stairs felt harder. By the time they were alone again, Jianci could have sworn the room was spinning around him.

Meanwhile Wang Hao was off in his own world, chattering away about the fight in so many words Jianci lost track of them all. Simply keeping up with Wang Hao's brisk walking had taken all of his concentration, so when Wang Hao turned to him suddenly when they entered the room, Jianci's stared back blankly. "You weren't even listening, were you?"

All Jianci could manage was a blink, leaning against the chair at Wang Hao's desk. He was vaguely aware of Wang Hao's whining voice, and of how he even stomped his feet a couple times when it was clear Jianci wasn't listening. The next thing Jianci knew, Wang Hao grabbed him under the chin and forced him to look up, suddenly staring into Wang Hao's eyes.

"You'll stay here during the feast." It would have been an order if Wang Hao's eyes didn't shift away as he said it. Jianci knew Wang Hao too well by now not to know what he was thinking.

"If you'll allow me," he said, phrasing his words carefully because no matter how close they were, Jianci could never outright refuse an order. "I would like to join you at the feast. There are still a few hours before we must go back downstairs, and I have everything prepared already. I'll go and lie down so that I won't embarrass you by fainting on your big day." The last few words came out as more of a chuckle, Jianci unable to control the smile on his face for once. Maybe this was how total exhaustion affected him. It wasn't good, but at least they were alone. The smile seemed to put Wang Hao at ease, too, and he nodded, though he still looked unmistakably forlorn when Jianci walked off to his room and left Wang Hao alone.

As soon as he closed his eyes, those images resurfaced with a vivid vengeance, and the hours ticked by painfully slowly.

To the guests, the feast must have seemed a grand and spectacular thing. The hall was lit brightly with torches and candles which chased away its normal gloom. Tables were arranged in half-circle around the dance floor so anyone who sat and ate could enjoy the festivities. The servants in the kitchens had outdone themselves with the food, and there was no doubt that tonight would be spoken of around the kingdom for months to come. The lord looked imposing but magnanimous at his place of honor in the very centered of the arranged tables. To his side sat the visiting lord and his entourage of children. A black eye and split lip graced the face of the eldest boy, and his younger brothers looked just as sour. The girl, at least, looked seemingly unawares of her siblings' bad mood. Her eyes glittered as she gazed around the party, and, Jianci noticed with some amusement, at Wang Hao. On his father's opposite side, Wang Hao looked just as unhappy as the other boys, though for completely different reasons. On the open floor before the seated guests, others twirled about as the musicians played on a stage erected to the side.

Jianci's head was pounding in time with the beat of the music. He knew he had to look wretched, but no one in the hall was going to notice the appearance of a single servant. Well, no one but Wang Hao. Wang Hao had looked ready to order Jianci to remain again, but all Jianci had had to do was bring up the prospect of dancing and Wang Hao was plenty distracted. In the end, Wang Hao needed Jianci around, especially in moments where he wasn't so sure of himself. Jianci wasn't sure why Wang Hao had become to dependent on Jianci's presence, but it was an undeniable fact. In all fairness, Jianci knew that he was just as dependent, if not more so. After all, if Wang Hao lost interest there would be no question about Jianci's fate.

As exhausted as he was, Jianci's eyelids didn't so much as sag. His job was to be present and alert, and he was going to do his job no matter what. When the lord leaned to the side and whispered something in Wang Hao's ear, Jianci could see Wang Hao go bright red from his place all the way across the room. Wang Hao looked ready to argue, but of course he didn't. After grasping the arms of his chair a few times, Wang Hao rose and moved away from the table, approaching their guests with terror in his eyes. The boys looked up at him and sneered, but he didn't spare them a glance. His lips barely moved as he spoke, the the little daughter practically beamed.

"They're to be married, you know," an old servant whispered to another a ways away from Jianci. He glanced at them in surprise for a split-second before returning to watch the pair walk awkwardly onto the dance floor. Wang Hao's blush had spread to the tips of his ears, but he began the dance perfectly on beat, if not a little stiffly.

The idea of Wang Hao's marriage shouldn't have been so surprising, but Jianci couldn't get his mind to wrap around it. Maybe because Jianci himself was still so young, but Wang Hao was thirteen now, a man grown in the eyes of the realm. It was frankly odd that he didn't have a match already lined up. A marriage pact would explain the sudden guests when Wang Hao's father preferred his peace and quiet. With a physically weak wife and lands to rule, Wang Hao's father didn't see the need to waste time with balls and other frivolities.

Jianci watched the pair whirl around the floor and tried to imagine their wedding. No matter how hard he tried, Jianci couldn't picture Wang Hao as a groom. Just trying made Jianci's head spin, a feeling that steadily worsened. The music seemed to be blaring louder and louder. After watching Wang Hao for a few moments to make sure he was okay, Jianci crept out of the hall into the relative quiet of the courtyard. There were a few guests wandering around and enjoying the night air, but none of them noticed Jianci as he took a few deep breaths and sat on the edge of his favorite well. Closing his eyes, Jianci forced himself to focus on the quiet sounds of the crickets chirping and the subtle drip of water from the well. If he concentrated, he could block out or focus on any sound he wanted. His exhaustion made it harder, but eventually the dull ache in his head stopped and he was able to open his eyes again.

When he found the three sons of the visiting lord glaring at him, Jianci nearly fell back into the well in surprise.

"What a lazy servant," the eldest sneered. His brothers laughed, but there was something gleaming in those eyes that was darker and more frightening that they failed to notice. The boy spat at Jianci's feet and took a step forward, his brothers following suit. "Your master not only cheats at duels, but he lets his servants run wild, eh?"

Jianci wanted to retreat, but found himself back against the well. He slid a little to the side, wishing he could stop the dizziness which was making his movements so uncertain. Jianci had no doubt that even he could take this boy in a fight, but not like this. That didn't stop him from frowning and replying so quietly it was almost a whisper, "He didn't cheat."

The boy barked a laugh and lunged forward, grabbing Jianci by the hair and yanking him until he fell to his knees. "And so insolent, too!" he snapped. "There's no way in hell that bastard could beat me in a fair fight, and he's going to pay for it."

Jianci didn't see the knee coming, and his vision went black for a moment when it made contact. All the air rushed from his lungs and he lost balance completely. The only thing keeping him frm falling face-first was the hair tangled in his hair. When his vision cleared, Jianci saw the two younger brothers blinking in disbelief. The hand shook Jianci roughly, swinging him like a rag doll. "What the hell are you waiting for?" the boy growled at his brothers before he finally let go of Jianci's hair, knocking him the rest of the way down with a hard slap. A boot followed the hand, and this time Jianci was left spitting blood into the dust.

"If you don't get over here and help, I'll see do the exact same to both of you," he heard his attacker say in a low, threatening voice. There was a long, terrible pause before Jianci heard the younger boys step over timidly. The first kick wasn't so hard, but the second hit him in the ribs, and the third his stomach again. The fourth blow must have been to the head, because Jianci lost consciousness the instant it landed.

The first time Jianci woke up, a young servant girl was staring down at him. When their eyes met, she gasped and started shouting. Seconds later Jianci blacked out again.

The second time, Jianci was awake long enough to feel the pain. The room was either too dark to see or he couldn't even manage to open his eyes, but there was a terrible, searing pain in his torso that made it hard to even breath. His entire face felt swollen, but he couldn't work up the energy to move his arms to check. He squeezed his fists open and closed a few times to check if his arms were working, and they were. That was at least something to be grateful for, and he let himself drift back off soon after.

The pain was no less intense when he woke up again, but this time he expected it. He took a few careful breaths and braced himself before he opened his eyes. The room was bright, but not too bright, the curtains in his tiny room drawn shut to block out the worst of the sun's rays. At first he thought he was alone again, but once he adjusted to being awake, he noticed the quiet, rhythmic sound of breathing. Turning hurt like hell and took a while, but the intense wave of relief that hit him when he found Wang Hao dozing in a chair beside the bed distracted him enough from the pain that he actually sat up.

The distraction didn't keep him from gasping out loud at the sharp pains in his sides. Beside him, Wang Hao stirred, but Jianci made himself focused on staying upright. "What are you...?" Wang Hao asked sleepily, looking Jianci up and down a moment before he realized what was happening. His curse made Jianci laugh, but laughing hurt too much to do for very long. "Lay the hell back down, idiot!"

All Jianci could do was shake his head, wheezing a little through the pain. Wang Hao's jaw clenched but he didn't insist. He was uncharacteristically tongue-tied, and Jianci could see the concern and anger and something else entirely in his eyes. "You look tired," Jianci whispered in a small, strained voice.

Wang Hao's laugh was bitter, but the sound still made Jianci smile. "Are you completely brainless?" Wang Hao asked when he finally found his words. "Why did you leave the feast? Those guys... they didn't even care. They beat you in front of-- in front of the guests." Wang Hao squinted at Jianci in the dim light. The pain in his voice made Jianci sad, but breathing itself was difficult and he didn't trust his words. "Why did you leave?"

Jianci lowered his eyes guiltily at the last question. Leaving Wang Hao's presence simply wasn't something he ever, and clearly not something Wang Hao had ever imagined Jianci would do. "I was... really tired," he replied slowly and carefully. "I didn't mean to, but tat dream..." Jianci frowned deeply and shook his head. "What happened-- it was just like in the dream." He shook his head, unable to say anything more at the moment, but he smiled sadly at Wang Hao.

Wang Hao stared at his hands thoughtfully a moment. "For now, get some rest. You have a few broken ribs but luckily for those little pricks they didn't do any worse damage." His eyes flashed dangerously as he rose to his feet. "Don't worry about what happened. I promise that it will never happen again."

Jianci didn't learn about the events that followed the attack until some time later after he'd fully recovered. As it turned out, there really had been a marriage pact in the making, but it had all been called off after the incident. Wang Hao would have beat all three boys to a pulp, except that his father ordered him not to. Instead the lord formerly asked his guests to leave and never return. The other lord had been thoroughly offended, not understanding why such an important union had to be affected by a mere servant. For a while, it looked like the lord was going to relent to that logic, but Wang Hao won in the end.

Anyone else would have been offended by the story, but Jianci wasn't. What it came down to was that the boys had damaged the lord's property, during a feast in honor of their family, in front of witnesses, and all of that was such a big insult that it couldn't be ignored. If the boys had broken anything in heir room, as ripped a tapestry, it would have been the same. Rather than be offended, Jianci felt incredibly proud, not because of the argument, but because it had all been thought of and presented to the lord by Wang Hao. The other servants had told him when Wang Hao had refused. For such a hotheaded boy, Wang Hao had presented his case calmly, in such a way that the lord could not argue.

The incident was forgotten by everyone but the two of them by the year's end.

13 and 16.

The next time Jianci had a recurring dream, the two of them knew to pay attention. Jianci could tell that Wang Hao was skeptical, but knew even more that Wang hao would not like it if Jianci hid anything from him. Over the following years they learned to pick out which dreams meant something, and Jianci found that he started to have premonitions even while awake. Perhaps a normal person would have been frightened or at least uncomfortable with obtaining a power so strange, but Jianci was grateful. With it, he could not only protect himself, but he could be of better use to Wang Hao. Wang Hao was still too young to be a solder, but soon enough he'd be riding off to battle. The real dangers were coming, and Jianci would feel much more at ease if he could know when.

By the time Wang Hao began his real training, Jianci had his power under control so that he could predict at will if he concentrated enough, but not so much that he didn't still experience some unbidden visions. Most of the time the unbidden ones were important anyway, but now and then Jianci learned some things he would have been perfectly happy not knowing, like that one of the servant boys was going to sneak out to the stables with the daughter of one of the nobles, or that the cat he saw crossing through the courtyard was going to end up a peasant's dinner. At least for the latter, Jianci saved the cat by taking it in. Wang Hao hadn't been exactly pleased to find a cat in Jianci's room, but he didn't make the poor thing leave.

Wang Hao was training with the captain of the castle guard early in the morning, Jianci in his usual spot near the well, when the vision hit. At first he was confused, because all the vision seemed to be was Wang Hao's face, but there were no words and Wang Hao's face was too close. In the vision Jianci's face went hot, an unfamiliar sensation tingled against his lips and he almost shouted in surprise when the vision ended as abruptly as it came. Jianci blinked and stared at Wang Hao's back across the yard. Even now, outside of the vision, Jianci's face felt warm. His mind scrambled to find some rational meaning behind what he saw, but failed. He even dared hope that it wasn't a vision at all, but that logic only worked with the dreams he had at night.

But in the vision it had definitely seemed like Wang Hao was kissing him, and that just didn't make sense.

That day Jianci was more than a little distracted, but there were too many things to do, too much running around, for it to be obvious. The majority of the morning Jianci didn't have enough spare time to really give his vision a thought, but during Wang Hao's afternoon training, Jianci's mind wandered back to his dream at the first opportunity. It was too easy to stare off into space when Wang Hao was sparing with his swordsmaster in the courtyard. These training sessions took hours, and Jianci was under strict orders to remain in his usual spot near the well until it was done so he could help Wang Hao change. Sitting on the edge of the well, Jianci kept his gaze in Wang Hao's direction, but he couldn't focus. Even after hours of distraction, the images came back to him unbidden and in startling clarity. Usually his dreams weren't so clear, tending to border on the symbolic with their meaning. There was very little room to decipher that morning's vision. There were only so many things getting kissed by Wang Hao could mean.

No matter how much Jianci wracked his brain, he honestly could only come up with one thing that could mean, but that didn't make it any easier to accept.

A slap to the back of his head made those immages retreat. Jianci nearly growled even though it didn't hurt, not really, but he blinked in confusion when he found Wang Hao standing right beside him, glaring in a mix of irritation and concern. "You weren't watching," he said gruffly. Wang Hao never asked questions he knew the answer to; he'd been that way since childhood. Jianci slid down from his seat and smiled somewhat sheepishly.

"Finished already?" he asked with a nervous laugh. Unlike Wang Hao, Jianci asked plenty of obvious questions.

Rolling his eyes, Wang Hao shifted his helm from under one arm to under the other and turned back around. Jianci followed suit, eyes on Wang Hao's back.

Inside the armory, Wang hao laughed with his friends as Jianci helped him to change. As Wang Hao had grown earlier, the lord had made efforts to attract more families to his castle. Now there were several nobles living with them, and a few families who came to stay for a season's time or on holidays. All of said families had boys, often their heirs, around Wang Hao's age. At first Wang Hao had been cold and suspicious; the encounter that had triggered Jianci's power had never left either of them. But gradually Wang Hao had come out of his shell for a few. He continued to keep most of them at a safe distance, and with Jianci Wang Hao mocked them all, trying to seem unattached, like his father's efforts couldn't affect him, but Jianci knew Wang Hao better. Jianci knew which boys had gotten under Wang Hao's skin, and he watched them with a mixed curiosity. Mostly he watched to keep Wang Hao safe, because despite his best efforts Wang Hao had his weaknesses, but there was a secret desire in Jianci to see what kind of people Wang Hao let close to him, what attracted Wang Hao, what could touch him. Jianci was certain this wasn't a normal compulsion, but he'd been raised with a watcher's instincts, so watch he did.

That didn't mean Jianci paid much attention to their conversations, though. There was something that adolescence did to boys' minds that warped them. They liked to talk of the things, bloody or disgusting or perverse things, things Jianci couldn't understand why anyone would want to discuss. With some pride Jianci noticed Wang Hao never initiated these conversations, but he certainly didn't avoid or stop them either, and Jianci caught Wang Hao listening with more than a little interest to his friends' stories. Jianci never heard Wang Hao tell his own, but there were times nowadays when Wang Hao would glance at Jianci suddenly in the midst of the talking and dismiss him with obvious discomfort. More often than not this occurred when a friend started in on a story about a girl. Whatever happened after that, Jianci couldn't fathom, nor did he want to, but he couldn't help but loathe being sent away like that.

It was almost enough to make him stomp his feet and sulk, but he knew that would solve nothing. "You don't have to send me away," he said one night as he prepared Wang Hao for bed. Wang Hao had looked up, surprised, and Jianci had shrugged. "You know, when you talk. It's weird, but I don't see why I can't hear it. I'm not a child, Wang Hao."

The corners of Wang Hao's eyes had crinkled a bit, kind of like how they did when he laughed, but that time he'd looked more pained than anything. "The fact that you find it weird means you are a child, Jianci." And the conversation had ended, leaving Jianci to toss and turn that night in bed, wanting to scream in frustration.

"Want to join us for lunch in the hall?" one of the boys asked as his won servant handled his armor. Jianci eyes slid to him discreetly. He was a young lordling, not unlike Wang Hao, destined to inherit another huge castle. His family only visited during the summers, and thought he'd never admit it, Wang Hao admired this friend above all the others. He was one of the few who proved a challenge when they sparred, and no one could argue that he was anything but goodhearted and clever for a boy his age.

Secretly, Jianci hated him.

Wang Hao didn't hesitate for a blink. "Of course!" he replied with a laugh. As Jianci finished changing Wang Hao into a clean tunic, Wang Hao looked at him awkwardly. "You have books to return to the library, yes? Run and do that before you take your lunch." For the first time in years, Jianci practically bristled at the order, but he nodded and quietly exited the room, Wang Hao's dirty clothes bundled under his arm.

When Wang Hao returned to his chambers, it was late in the afternoon. Jianci had spent his unexpected free time storming around the room and flopping uselessly in Wang Hao's bed, spitting curses and grumbling in the one place he knew others couldn't hear. By the time Wang Hao stepped through the door, Jianci had regained his composure. He hardly glanced up from his ledger where he'd been balancing Wang Hao's expenses for the month. It was shocking how a sixteen year old actually required budgeting for his monthly allowance, but thankfully Jianci had always been good with numbers.

The quiet, sullen way Wang Hao entered the room through Jianci off for a split-second, his old fit threatening to resurface. As Jianci rose to his feet Wang Hao hovered near the heavy door, clearly working out what he wanted to say in his head.

"Do you have free time right now?" he finally asked. His face was a stony mask hiding any emotion, and his gaze was focused on Jianci's shoes. It was almost funny.

The corner of Jianci's mouth twitched. "If there is nothing else you require me to do, then yes." His tone was unusually chilly, and the difference made Wang Hao flinch visibly. His eyes raised to Jianci's face and he seemed to study what he found there for a few moments and then he turned and looked to the side.

"Fine, good," he muttered. "There is something I require of you. Come with me."

'Come with me,' turned into a trek all the way through the castle, out the servants' entrance near the kitchen, through the field where the kitchen maids tended a small herb garden, around to the very back of the castle, under a rather gloomy stone gate and through the ancient graveyard that lay beyond. When they stepped over the remains of the fence that lined the graveyard, Wang Hao stopped walking, turned, and crossed his arms.

"You have to promise me that you'll keep this an absolute secret," he said severely. Jianci felt quite irritated at that point, but all he could do was swallow hard and nod when Wang Hao looked at him like that. "Good, we're almost there." And then they started walking again.

The place turned out to be a ruin-- literally. It must have been an old fortress of some kind, but only have of the structure remained, a long stone wall that extended a ways, turned and then ended in crumbles. The wall blocked them from the view of the castle. Wang Hao sat down on the pile of the rubble, crossing his arms again and staring at Jianci in that same unsure way he had in his chambers. "You're mad at me," he said.

Jianci blinked. He hadn't really tried to hide it, but somehow he'd doubted Wang Hao would care how Jianci felt about him. It wasn't like Jianci was all that made anyway. "Not really," he replied, but there was a distinct pout in his voice. With everyone else, it was easy to put on a mask and hid everything, but from the beginning that had been impossible with Wang Hao. It only seemed to get more and more impossible as they grew up together, to the point that he rarely tried to hide his feelings.

"Liar," Wang Hao scoffed, but he smiled a second later. He shoved himself back to his feet and reached for something hidden in the rubble. "But it's okay, I'll make it up to you."

Jianci almost fumbled the thing when Wang Hao tossed one of the objects to him. His hand closed around wood, not as rough as a stick but not smooth either. He moved the long thing in front of his eyes and took too long to recognize it. Wang Hao hadn't used a wooden sword in years now, but Jianci remembered seeing them when they were much younger. The sword in his hand looked worse for wear, but felt solid enough. Across the way, Wang Hao brandished his own, not holding it out in front of him like Jianci did, like he was afraid it'd bite him.

"I'm going to teach you how to fight," Wang Hao declared with obvious pleasure.

Under his breath, Jianci muttered, "Oh dear."

Wang Hao didn't hear Jianci, looking down at his wooden sword and continuing in a rushed, nervous tone that made Jianci smile, "I see you, you know, around my friends, and I know you're not happy. I'm not happy, either, honest." He licked his lips and glanced up at Jianci, stepping a little closer. "It's not right. The lot of them are nothing more than spoiled brats, all the same. But they get swordsmasters and daily lessons and the finest clothes and armor. You're worth a hundred of them. You're smarter than an army of the combined, capable and hardworking, but all you've got for your lessons is me." He laughed sheepishly. "Though I don't make a have bad teacher, if I say so myself."

Jianci rolled his eyes but nodded in agreement.

That perked Wang Hao right up, and he closed the space between them with a few long strides. "This is the only thing I haven't taught you. I don't know why I didn't think of it, but you ought to know how to defend yourself. There's no reason you can't be just as good as those idiots, even if--" Wang Hao cut off suddenly, coughing a laugh and flourishing his weapon a little to the side.

"Even if I'll never actually be as good as them, right?" he asked quietly. Wang Hao glanced Jianci's way, not smiling anymore.

"Only to the others, and they don't matter," he grumbled. "Now raise that sword properly, Jianci." He took a step back and shifted the point of his sword so that it pointed at Jianci's chest.

Jianci sighed heavily and obeyed.

The sun had long set when Jianci's sword clattered to the ground for what must have been the thousandth time. His hair and clothes were wet with sweat, and his hand throbbed and strung terribly from having his sword knocked away so many times. He was panting heavily, and across the way Wang Hao watched him, his own breathing hardly changed the entire time. "Pick it up," he ordered brusquely.

Instead, Jianci wheezed and sank to the ground. He heard Wang Hao repeat the order a number of times, but Jianci couldn't will the energy back to his legs. This was all so stupid, but he didn't dare say as much. Not with how obviously serious Wang Hao was about this. He was relieved when he heard Wang Hao settle onto the ground beside him. "We'll try again tomorrow," Wang Hao said, his tone stiff.

"I don't see the point," Jianci grumbled.

"Nothing is gained by giving up early."

"Not if you know you'll never succeed early," Jianci countered lighting-quick.

"Damn it, Jianci, I'm trying to help you."

Jianci could feel the anger building up in Wang Hao, but he was too tired to care at this point. "All I'm saying," he insisted in as calm a voice as he could manage, "is that some people are suited to certain things, and some just aren't."

Growling, Wang Hao was on his feet again. It was dark but Jianci could see clearly as Wang Hao stormed back to his original position. The tip of his wooden sword dug into the ground as he went, making a line between them. "Get up, Jianci," he said again. Wang Hao's voice was low and threatening. Jianci's bones ached, but he got to his feet. He knew better than to test Wang Hao when he was like this, but Jianci also had his limits, which was why he shook his head and laughed feebly when Wang Hao told him to pick up his sword.

"Pick up the damn sword or I swear to the gods I'll show you what happens to men who think they're not suited to swords."

The obvious goad made Jianci's eyes narrow, but he didn't so much as glance in the sword's direction. He understood Wang Hao's anger, but that didn't mean he had to accept it. During their time together, it had been easy to forget how differently they'd began their lives apart. It was too easy to pretend Jianci's life had began when he'd met Wang Hao, and Wang Hao had never even questioned Jianci about his past. Wang Hao was strong, Jianci didn't know of anyone stronger, but Wang Hao was also terribly closeted. He preferred his safe little world where he knew everything about Jianci, where Wang Hao dictated how things in the world worked.

But Jianci hadn't forgotten. His time in his own country had been short and painful, but he knew enough to recognize that the sword would never be his. The swords belonged to Wang Hao's people, the warriors who lived in endless summer, lush fields and trees and safety. It was rare, but Jianci had dreams of his land, of sand and blood and unbearable heat, like the air was on fire. At the most basic level, they would always be different, no matter how hard Wang Hao tired to force Jianci to fit into his world perfectly.

When he spoke again, Wang Hao's voice was pleading. "How do you expect to be equal when you don't even try?"

Jianci shrugged, his own voice calm and cool when he replied, "How do you expect to ever be a lord when you don't follow through on your threats?"

Even if he tended to be moody, especially when anyone questioned him, it took a lot to make Wang Hao truly angry. In all the years he'd spent with Wang Hao, Jianci could only remember a handful of times Wang Hao had been totally, out of control levels of angry. He could be irked, annoyed or frustrated, but losing his composure would ruin his image as a calm lord. So when Wang Hao's eyes narrowed and his lips twisted into what could only be described as a snarl, Jianci was a bit baffled. He didn't have much time to absorb the change, either, because Wang Hao launched himself in Jianci's direction, sword raised to do actual damage.

If Jianci had been to analyze the situation and react appropriately, he would have let Wang Hao come at him and would have no doubt gotten very injured. Going against Wang Hao in any way wasn't in Jianci's nature, and seeing as the lordling was not himself, it would have been a good way to let him vent. Self-preservation was a foreign concept to a servant like Jianci. But Wang Hao moved too quickly, and Jianci's instincts activated before his brain could catch up. Wang Hao's wooden sword just missed Jianci's face as he ducked, swinging his body under the sword and around to Wang Hao's back. As he ducked, his fingers slipped inside his boot to grab the small, but deadly sharp blade he had hidden there. In the seconds it took Wang Hao to register that he hadn't hit his mark, Jianci had one arm locked around Wang Hao's neck and his free hand pressing the blade against his master's throat.

Wang Hao gasped, and the quiet sound triggered something in Jianci's brain that screamed that this was very, very wrong. His fingers released the blade, which dropped soundlessly to the ground. Blood pounded in Jianci's ears and he struggled to breathe, falling back onto the ground. His mouth moved as it tried to form an apology but no sounds came out. Very slowly, Wang Hao turned around. The look in his eyes was like he'd never seen Jianci before, but otherwise Jianci couldn't read them at all.

"I suppose I shouldn't have been worried," he said, voice cracking slightly. A tiny trickle of blood ran down the side of his neck. He even laughed, and after taking a deep breath he sat down on the ground across from Jianci, studying Jianci's face. "Sometimes I forget, you know."

Jianci swallowed hard. "I can't forget," he answered. Very carefully, as if he were afraid Wang Hao would come at him again, Jianci lowered himself to the ground, his knees shaking.

Silence stretched between them, a long, heavy silence. Jianci's past wasn't a topic either of them wanted to broach. It was possibly something their friendship couldn't survive.

After a while Wang Hao squinted up at the setting sun and sighed. "You haven't kissed anyone yet, have you?" His voice was flat, almost disappointed. Jianci's mind muddled over the question for a few moments, startled by the strange topic change.

"I have!" he finally replied and instinctively defensive. Wang Hao had asked the question like the negative was a dull, well-known fact.

This time it was Wang Hao who struggled for his reply, stuttering and nearly spitting. "What the hell are you saying?" The anger in Wang Hao's eyes only worsened Jianci's annoyance. He narrowed his eyes and refused to reply. "You're lying!" Wang Hao insisted when Jianci stayed silent. There was an infuriating tone of victory in his voice.

"I am not," Jianci grumbled. He turned to face Wang Hao and sat up a little straighter, his chin lifted haughtily. "Last spring, in the halls by the kitchens. One of the servant girls told that, if I wanted, I could kiss her." He shifted uncomfortably at the memory, made even more awkward by the skeptical way Wang Hao was watching him. "I told her I didn't want to, but she did it anyway."

Wang Hao's smile was incredulous. "You didn't want to?" A hint of a laugh crept into his voice.

"Of course not," Jianci scoffed. "I knew she'd just run around and tell all the other girls, which she did. That one always bothers me when I go to the kitchens, even now."

Wang Hao just laughed and flopped back onto the grass. All traces of their earlier tension was gone, and despite himself Jianci smiled a little. "You're still a child, I suppose," Wang Hao sighed so quietly Jianci almost didn't hear him.

"But I can fight!"

"Fighting is just one part of being an adult." Wang Hao glanced at Jianci and cleared his throat. "There are... others."

"Like what you and the other lordlings talk about when you send me away?" The question was spent to sound nonchalant, but the second it left Jianci's lips he could hear the pout. Wang Hao did as well, but he just grinned and shook his head.

"I send you away for your own good."

Again there was silence, and though this one wasn't so heavy or angry, Jianci felt nothing but discontent. The cook had often joked that Jianci was becoming more rebellious as he got older, but the fact that whatever was changing inside of him was starting to affect how he served Wang Hao was more than he could bear. No matter how hard he tried to fight it, there was no denying that he found himself disagreeing or becoming angry with Wang Hao's orders as of late.

Staring at the ground, Jianci plucked at a loose strong on his tunic. "It isn't like I'm totally unaware, you know," he continued when he knew full well he should just shut up and give up. "I know the kinds of things you talk about."

"Do you?" Wang Hao asked with a note of genuine surprise.

"Yes. You know, girl things," he offered in a whisper.

There was a brief flash of disappointment in Wang Hao's eyes followed by a short laugh. "Ah, yes, girl things." He lurched to his feet with a groan and dusted his pants off. Extending a hand to Jianci, he gave a small smile. "Come on, it's too dark to stay outside."

Confused and a still a little bit defensive, Jianci accepted the hand anyway. The clearing they stood in was by now bathed in moonlight, the castle all but disappeared behind the remnants of the wall.

==> Part Two.