The forest was dark, and the sounds of the wildlife around her was deafening. She could barely make out her own hand in the dark, much less the figures beside her. The anxiousness of those around her mixed with her own was manifesting as the nonstop shuffling within the foliage. Her heart was beating loudly against her ribcage, and she found herself hoping that this mission that her Khan had set her on would end quickly. She had done her part; hoping that maybe this was enough to prove her loyalty to the Khanate, she has worked as a spy to direct them to this location within untamed southern China.

She sat in the brush behind the cabin that they had finally found after months of searching, and waited impatiently for the Khan’s men to finally burst in and capture the young lost prince that the entirety of the Eastern world was looking for.

The Khan’s best warrior, Yixing, was peering into the flame lit cabin through a dirtied window in the wooden exterior; she tried not to breathe as she waited beside his other men that were also waiting for the signal to invade. Without removing his eyes from the singular window that looked inside, he lifted his hand and suddenly everyone was in motion. The men beside her rushed to his side and burst through the door. She sat and watched in the dark.

She could hear their shouts and the sounds of metal clashing against metal. She had no idea what lay in wait, but she knew that she has no place at their sides in this moment. She could fight and hold her own of course, but this wasn’t something she was to be involved with. She only need be there to watch as it all unfolded.

She watched with narrowed eyes as the sounds got quieter, and in the darkness she could see a woman in a dark robe kick through the doorway. When she blinked the woman had vanished from her sight.

“Senayt.” She looked up at the sound of her whispered name. Yixing stood in the doorway searching for her in the dark. She stood and stepped over branches to get to his side. Yixing, the man who she owed almost as much to as the Khan himself. A brave warrior who had managed to save her from a life within the Khan’s harem, instead allowing her to learn to work and fight at his side. For saving her from a life of being just another palace , she works her hardest to prove herself as a worthy pupil to the handsome and fearless man who she follows.

Reaching his side, she saw the blood on his clothing and face. The candlelight from within highlighted his strong features, and she found herself swallowing down the intimidation she had consistently felt when standing next to him -or rather standing below him. When he saw her face he sighed in relief. “It’s fine. You’re safe right now.” The hand that was not holding onto his blade rested on her shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly. She knew that he knew they weren’t safe yet, not truly. Until they return within the capital walls, neither of them are safe. Especially with their newest addition. She only nodded in turn as he turned around to search the now lifeless cabin for the prince.

Following her master, she stepped inside over the slain bodies of the men who came in to support Yixing. All those who joined them on this journey now lay slaughtered at her very feet. She didn’t really like any of those who joined them on their trip, but they were the Khan’s men after all and their lives would be honored. Turning her eyes back to Yixing, she looked at him in awe, she knows that he really lives up to his name. The best warrior of the Khan is the only one who lives after this bloodbath. That one woman wiped out everyone sent to find the boy. She was lucky to be unfound in the night that surrounded them.

“He should be here,” Yixing murmured. Her eyes fell on the lone rug in the otherwise empty room. An auspiciously placed piece of decoration. Following her line of vision, Yixing picked up a corner of the dirtied thing and threw it to the side. A doorway sat beneath it. He looked to her briefly before grabbing onto its handle and tossing the door open. Dirt and dust clouded around them. Yixing waved away the debris to look inside of the dark hole.

She treaded over to peer inside next to her master, and there inside sat a young boy. The last living son of the Chinese Oh dynasty. The 5-year-old Prince, Oh Sehun. He looked up at his two captures with scared eyes, and she found herself pitying the young boy before her. She was only a few years older than him, but she could understand his situation almost entirely.

Not even 5 years ago was she captured on her way back to her own kingdom. She was traveling with company along the silk road when those around her began to drop after being taken out by arrows shot by Mongols, and since then she has found herself at the mercy of Khan Suho.

She was taken in as a prisoner, and knowing of her status as a captive she still owed the man her life. He could have killed her. He could have tortured her, but he didn’t. He only kept her. Albeit it as another unofficial addition to his large harem she was still grateful to be alive. Because of her young age at the time, master Yixing was able to take her in as his own apprentice to save her from a life destined to be a concubine. She owed much of her current fortune to master Yixing. Without him, she would have been permanently trapped within the walls of the harem as a young girl, but instead she was out fighting and spying with the best of the Khan’s men.

She wasn’t sure what was to come of the young prince.

With him, the Khan now had leverage over the entirety of the rest of Southern China, so she was almost positive that the boy would live.

As a slave to the Khan probably, but he would still live.

She held her hand out to the young boy and offered a small smile. “Take my hand. It is okay. You are safe with us.”

The boy didn’t move, and she patiently waited for him to willingly grab onto her hand so that she could help him out. She could feel Yixing getting restless next to her. If they didn’t leave soon, they might run into more trouble and he was already wounded and tired.

His small hand found hers after what felt like hours, and she gently guided the young prince out of his little shelter. He was small. He shook in their presence, and she could only attempt to understand his mindset.

Here he was, standing in a room of dead bodies with a man covered in blood and a girl with skin like dark copper. It must be quite a lot to have to be exposed to in one sitting.

“Who are you?” his voice was small, but it did not waver. She fought a smile at the courage that the boy displayed even in a situation such as this. He really is a young prince.

“We do not have time for pleasantries right now young emperor. Let us take our leave, and we will explain what we can when we have a moment.” Yixing picked up the boy and carried him out to where their horses were waiting. Senayt followed behind, keeping her senses on high alert in case anyone tried to attack them. With the boy, they were even more vulnerable. Hopefully they could reach their capital without facing many more attacks.

**

“What do you think will happen to him when we return?”

“He’ll be brought in front of the Khan of course.”

“I mean after that. Is he going to be okay? He won’t be hurt right? He’s just a child.”

“You’re just a child as well,” Yixing said with a chuckle.

“I may be a child, but I was not the emperor of China. Even I know how important he is.”

Yixing sighed and wiped the last of the blood off his sword. He placed it in its sheathe before looking into the brown eyes of the young girl in front of him. “You worry too much. You should be focusing on your own safety. You’re only a teen, and yet you talk of the boy as if you are old enough to be his mother. Whether he lives or dies is not your concern, Senayt. Our mission was to bring him to the Khan and that is all. The Khan can do as he wants with the boy. Whether that be to chain him up or to cut off his head and parade it through the streets it is his choice. We have no authority to interfere with his decision.”

They both heard the almost inaudible gasp and turned to its direction. The boy emperor looked at them with tearful eyes as he heard the two elders talk of his potential death. He turned and walked away from them with haste, back to the place where he was supposed to be sleeping.

Yixing and Senayt shared a look before Yixing stood on his feet. “I’ll go talk to him.”

“No. I will,” She said standing on her own. “I…I think that I can help ease his heart. You’re still bloody after all.” She bowed quickly after having spoken so quickly and out of turn.

“You are right. Go to him,” He said with a small smile before sitting back down on the ground in front of the fire.

“Thank you, master.” She jogged off to the spot behind a tree where they set up a resting place for the young prince, only to find him staring up at the sky above them with tears b in his eyes. She knew that he could hear her approaching, but he made no move to look at her. She sat a distance away from him and watched him as he looked up at the stars.

“Am I really going to die?” his voice was quiet, and the courage in his voice from earlier was almost nonexistent now. Her heart broke.

“I don’t know.” She replied honestly. He let out a short sob. “I don’t know,” she repeated louder this time “…but I don’t think so.” He looked over to her with a quivering bottom lip. “I think you will be fine. You are the emperor of China after all. I’m just…a princess from a kingdom far from here. All the way in Africa, but I’m still alive.” She said offering him a shy smile. “You shouldn’t worry about it. The Khan is a kind man. He doesn’t seem it at first, but he isn’t a monster like people make him out to be.”

The two sat in silence. She turned her gaze to the sky while he kept his on her. The girl was interesting. He had never seen anyone like her before. With her coarse brown hair, and smooth deeply tanned skin she was nearly the opposite of the women he was used to seeing. She was pretty though, even he knew that. He wasn’t sure why someone like her was here beside him offering words of comfort, but he was grateful nonetheless.

She clicked her tongue and looked back at the boy who had not turned away from her. His eyes now dry but observant. “I should return to my master. Rest up, we have a long trip ahead of us.” She stood up quickly, and walked with haste away from the boy. He was young, but she still felt intimidated in his presence. He had almost no experience with the world, but his eyes seemed to hold the wisdom and knowledge equal to 1000 old souls.

It was intriguing, but oh so unsettling.

Lol why did I post a new story? This has been saved on my computer since this summer and I don't know when I'll update. I wanted to put it up just to have it up. This is way different from Seven and really anything I've ever written, but i liked Marco Polo on Netlfix and exo historical aus are my kink.

Xx