the tale of Wen Veilu

•chapter 3•

The sun started to set, the merchants stayed and awaited the night to rise. New stall started to Open too. Vei wiped her sweat away from her forehead, she had just came back from her morning patrol to replace yesterday's night patrol. She was walking back to her inn, dreaming of a nice warm bath and a long rest. She needed stamina for tomorrow's travel. She entered the tavern inn hoping that her luck from yesterday hadn't vanish, but apon Opening the door, a kid leached onto her ragged pants, causing her to hold on the door frame for balance."A-jie!"

Vei stared at the kid with a horrid look.
"Yemeng? What are you doing here?"
Yemeng brought her to the corner so they wouldn't block the entrance. He rested his arms on his chest and scoff dramatically. "A-jie, did you forget your promise yesterday?" The lady rewinded her memories, cursing at herself when she remembered about how Yemeng sneaked out just to meet her. She crouch down and patted his head. "I uhm.. I didn't forget" the smile on her face twitched, Yemeng eyed her up and down. Seeing the kid's reaction, she got up and dusted herself, "wait here, okay? I need to change. It won't take long.". After saying so, Yemeng nod in approvement and Vei ruffled his hair. She grinned at him before making her journey up the stairs. She had reached back to her room and changed into something more clean, it was no different from the clothes she wore earlier, but this one wasn't dirty. She headed back out as soon as she fixed her hair.

"Finally, took you decades" The troublesome boy said mockingly while his back was pressed against the wall, his features rested a grin that went up to his ears. Vei's smile turned into a sour frown, glaring at the child. "You beast..." She held her hand out replacing the frown with a gentle smile. "Let's go, it's almost night." Her smile went wider when Yemeng sat his hand on her palm while pouting and mumbling 'it was your fault'. When they eventually reached the busying streets of the market, Yemeng hands were held tightly by Vei because she was afraid of him losing sigh.

"Where do you want to go first?"
Yemeng rested his finger on his chin while spinning his head around to find something interesting. He raised his arm and point at the toy merchant, "Let's go to that one!". Yemeng dragged Vei towards the stall, the surface of the table was filled with toys like drums, kites, napkins and variation of bamboo toys. Vei smiled kindly at the merchant who gave her a grin. Yemeng scanned the whole table. He eventually snatched a bamboo shaped fox and another small child one beside it. "A-jie, the big fox is you, the small one is me!" He excitedly gave her the big fox and kept the small one. Vei nod and reached inside her robes to take her pouch. Her smile was wiped away when she realized that she didn't bring her pouch because she forgot it in the box. She sadly looked at Yemeng with an apologizing gaze. " I forgot my pouch at my inn.." she replied. Yemeng's joyful expression turned sour as he slowly put the fox back down on the table. The lady, who overheard their chats, gave them a pity full look.

Vei's heart ache, seeing the boys frowing face. She quickly stood back up and turned back towards the merchant. "Can I get this for free? I promise I'll come by tomorrow and pay!" Vei bit her lips, her eyes begging the merchant. The merchant however, sigh and shook his head. "Sorry. I don't do those kind of business. I hope you have a great night."
Vei gritted her teeth, she was about to bargain with him but felt a tug on her sleeve. She looked down to face the shiny emerald eyes, "it's fine, we can just look around." Yemeng said bitterly. Vei nod slowly, she turned her head back towards the merchant and apologized. She sat the bamboo fox back on the table next to the child one.

Vei noticed that there was a person next to her, she thought that she was blocking their was so she started to walk away with the boy. They were about to head back into the crowded streets when the same merchant called out to them. "Miss, Wait!" Both of them stopped their tracks and Yemeng was the first one to turn around. Vei gave the merchant a confused look while Yemeng just stared blankly in the void. "Yes?..."
She saw him carrying the two pair of foxes in his palms. The merchant straightened his arms towards her and smiled slightly. "You can take them." He said. Vei's arms slowly rise up and took the foxes in her palms. She could feel Yemeng's ecstatic energy beside her when she passed him the doll. She looked back to the merchant. "Thank you so much... I'll come by tomorrow and pay.."
She smiled kindly. The merchant just grinned and waved his hands Infront of them. "Don't need, I have already been paid. And also, thank the man in the black coat with the golden embroidery over there!" The merchant pointed towards his shop. There, stood a man in fully black robes with golden embroidery sewed. He wore a shoulder coat on only one side of his shoulder that had fur on the tob ends of the coat. He wore a mask over his eyes but his stunning lips and jaw could be seen. Near him was a teenage looking boy, who wore black robes with only a little bit of golden embroidery and having a more plainer mask making the taller man beside him stand out more. Vei could see a symbol on the coat, but she couldn't recognize it from afar. The two males stared at Vei and Yemeng. Vei turned her body towards the two and bowed, she brought her arms up and cupped them Infront of her. Yemeng saw his sister's gesture and copied her.

When Vei looked up, she expected the man to return her a smile or a wave, but from a far, she could see that the man's expression hadn't change. But the boy beside him waved at them happily and energetically while smiling. But Vei's gaze never left the man beside him. She felt trapped. But soon she was brought back to her senses when Yemeng tugged on her sleeves. "A-jie, let's roam around." He said excitedly. Vei chuckled and told the merchant to pass her thanks to the males. Soon, Vei and Yemeng venture in the crowd, one of their hands together, and one held the doll.

Vei and Yemeng spent their time walking around and looking around. Although they hadn't bring any money, Yemeng assured Vei that he was satisfied enough with the fox. But, unfortunately, the night had passed and Vei worried that the Zheng will get worried. Vei escorted the young lad back to the Zheng residence.
When they were Infront of the main door, Yemeng turned around, he looked up at his Shi-jie and started to cry. Vei started to panic, she wrapped her arms around the boy and calmed him down. "Yemeng... Don't cry.. I'll visit you and I'll bring lots of toys and sweets.. okay?" She patted his back gently and wiped his tears when she slightly broke the hug. Yemeng's face was red and slightly pale under the moonlight. He looked silly. Vei smiled sadly, her own tears starting to fall slowly. "A-jie has known you for years now right? Will you promise a-jie you will stay strong and follow your father's words?... There-there.. where the little handsome and mischievous master who makes everyone fear the Zheng?.." Vei quitely spoke while rubbing his tears. Yemeng had leached himself into her neck and sobbed loudly. Vei worried the gaurds might hear them but she couldn't bear it too. She joined Yemeng's with her own sob. "A-jie..." Yemeng said in between hiccups. Vei hummed in response, "promise.... Gh.. that you will visit..." Hearing his cracking voice, Vei hugged him even tighter. After Yemeng had calmed down, both of them promised each other the same thing, they both would visit each other if they could. After another, yet very long hug, a gaurd came out and brought Yemeng inside the residence. Vei waved Yemeng her last wave, seeing that the boy had disappear completely inside the residence with the child fox in his hands, Vei gripped onto the adult fix and Wiped her tears. She started walking back to her inn, her head trapped in a loop of memories.

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