Striding into the town, careful never to let his eyes rest for long on any one thing, he firmly crushed the desire to slink in like some wild creature, steal what he needed, and escape.
I am human, much as I hate it on some occasions. I will not be chased off by the simple fact that I must face others of my kind. I will not.
He could feel Blackflame’s puzzlement at that mental tirade, but thankfully the little dragon didn’t say a word. As it was, he was disgusted enough by the empty space that opened around him, and the quiet that proceeded him everywhere.
That quiet he could do without. It reminded him too much of the quiet that came about whenever a hunter was on the prowl.
The fear in the eyes of few people that were bold enough to look at him, even briefly, disgusted him yet more, driving a cold spike into his body. That they were afraid of him was obvious, and normal… that they were absolutely terrified was something new, and even more obvious.
It came as a surprise, then, when someone ran into him, forcefully, and it used all of his trained instincts to save him from being knocked onto the ground. Huifeng lashed a hand out, gripping the shoulder of the person who had run into him, to prevent that person from falling over as well.
The silence was oppressive.
He looked up, hand still steadying the man, to see all eyes on him, and the space about him even larger, as if they were all afraid that he’d go ballistic and kill the one who had dared to run into him.
Idiots, he snorted internally, feeling the eyes of the crowd upon him, terrified and frozen in a state close to panic, This is why I hate humans. They’re so… so… insensitive! They fear for themselves, not even daring to face their fear enough to realize that it’s completely groundless!
Huifeng felt the man he was holding find his balance once more, and released him sharply, uttering a cold, indifferent, “Watch yourself,” as he prepared to turn and return to the task at hand, finding supplies. The man’s head was down, as if he was ashamed of something, or saddened, but at the sound of his voice it rose up, pale blue eyes darting over his entire body, taking in everything.
Pale blue eyes, silver hair, leaf green robes with white patterns… a name nagged at the edge of his memory, yet he let nothing show on his face as allowed this man to look him over, knowing that the instant he was recognized, he would have to endure another panic-stricken apology.
Better just to leave now. Yet as he was prepared to leave, he was frozen in place once again.
“Huifeng…”
That voice… yes, now he had it. Zhun Yan, strategist for the great Zhan Tan. Well, perhaps here was one who wouldn’t flee in terror with one look from Huifeng’s ruby eyes. He focused on those ice blue eyes, raising one eyebrow slightly in question.
I had assumed that none of those I served last would ever want to see me again, not after I practically deserted like that.
“Thanks, I… uh… Will you please come with me?” there was a hint of desperation in the strategist’s voice, but Huifeng doubted any could hear it except for himself.
He shrugged slightly, thoughts racing through his mind, Desperation? Why in the world would Zhun Yan be desperate?
The strategist was apparently waiting for some sort of solid reply, so Huifeng mustered his patience and spoke once again, “Lead.”
He followed Zhun Yan into the smoky tavern, and from there into the slightly less smoky back room, where an odd site met his eyes. It was odd enough that the strategist would lead him into a tavern, but this...
The Lord, Zhan Tan, was sitting with his arms crossed on the table, and his head down on his arms, shoulders slumped. His clothing wasn't the same, as there were no dragons on it that Huifeng could spot, and the colors were vastly different. He was dressed more as his two bodyguards were, black and orange after the mighty tiger. Xan Luan and Sun Zhen sat across from him, weariness in their eyes, their surprise at his arrival dimmed to only a faint spark.
They looked like beaten men who had no hope left.
Now I see why Zhun Yan almost pleaded with me to come.
::What happened to these men anyway?:: BlackFlame's mental voice held curiosity, as well as slight pity for them.
We shall see. "What happened." Huifeng spoke, making sure to put as much emotion in his voice as he could, so that it wasn't the normal flatness that he addressed all others with. After all, these men were friends and acquaintances of his father, they deserved better than to have their problems calmly brushed aside as if they were nothing.
It was Luan who answered him, as Zhun Yan settled into a seat next to Tan and attempted to get him to cheer up even slightly, "An usurper. The loyal generals are either scattered or dead. It's a miracle that both Zhan Tan and Zhun Yan are still alive..."
“My father.”
Luan sighed, “Your father is still alive, but I daren’t leave my lord right now in order to ask for his assistance in this matter.”
Huifeng nodded slightly, eyes on Zhan Tan. The man had lost all hope, while the men around him tried to both keep his spirits up, keep him alive, and plan to regain the throne, all at once.
I should help them, for my father’s sake.
::You’ll help them just because of your father being their friend? Is that the only reason?::
He paused, running that through his head a few times, before answering, No, I’ll help them because I want to. It’s too much for three people to juggle, and I think I might possibly be able to snap Tan out of his depression.
BlackFlame nuzzled his neck affectionately, ::That’s my Wise Phoenix.::
A smile flickered over his face at that, and he reached a hand up to pet BlackFlame. “Consider joining, I will.” Resting ruby eyes upon the depressed Lord, he decided right then what he wanted to do, “Speak with your lord, alone. Leave, please?”
The other three exchanged glances, then Zhun Yan rose, “You wish to speak with Zhan Tan alone?”
Huifeng nodded, watching as the three glanced at each other nervously, “No harm, I swear.” He paused a slight second, thinking it over, then nodded just slightly and unbuckled the belt that held his weapons and helm, holding it out to Luan as proof that he wished no harm to their lord.
Luan took the belt with surprise widened eyes, and, with a final glance at the others, he nodded back, “We’ll be just outside the door.”
“Good.”
::Are you sure of what you’re about to do?::
Plenty sure.
As the three walked passed him, he gathered what nerve he needed and crossed the intervening distance between him and Tan. The depressed man didn’t even look up when he rested a hand upon the other’s shoulder, though Huifeng could feel Tan’s muscles tensing in surprise.
Crouching down, he placed his mouth near Zhan Tan’s ear, on the hunch that it would take something like that in order to break through the man’s walls so that he could be heard.
“All is not lost, my lord, all is never lost, as long as there is hope. And as long as there is life, there is hope.” Huifeng spoke softly, smiling slightly as Tan almost jerked upright in surprise, turning about to face him with shock widened eyes.
Yes, he could see it in the man’s eyes, that he’d almost banished the depression, but there was something else that needed to be done. So, he knelt before the lord, who could still not formulate even the smallest response to his earlier statement.
Then, with head bowed and hands upraised, palms facing the ceiling, he spoke once more, “I pledge my loyalty to you, my lord, forever. My sword is yours.”
“Zhu Huifeng, are you sure of what you’re pledging? I’m just a…”
“Please, my lord, call me Huifeng. And I am more than sure, I am positive beyond all doubts. You are a well known and loved lord, and I have been considering joining you for a long time now.”
He glanced slightly upwards, smiling internally when he saw that there was a spark of life and strength within his new lord’s eyes once more.
::You said the right words, he’s sure of himself now.::
Good, I didn’t know if I could truly snap him out of it, but it looks like it worked.
::He was probably depressed that some usurper took his throne, and only his closest friends were with him.::
And then I went and swore loyalty to him forever.
::I bet that was a shock:: BlackFlame gave a small mental laugh.
Tan rose, then, offering his hand to help Huifeng to his feet once more, “Come, then, there is much to do and little time to do it in.”
Allowing a smile to form on his face, Huifeng accepted the hand and rose, moving to stand slightly behind Zhan Tan. Together, they walked out of the room, apparently catching the other three by surprise.
“Come, it’s time to prepare if we intend on winning this.”
The three gave Huifeng an incredulous look, before turning their attention back to their lord.
“Indeed.” Was all Yan ventured, apparently cautious about this strange mood that Zhan Tan was in, as if afraid if he said anything more, it would shatter, leaving them with a depressed, unresponsive lord once more.
Huifeng watched it all in silence, his part had been done, he was satisfied. In silence he accepted his weapons and helm back, belting them about his waist once more.
“Whatever you did,” Luan hissed in his ear, “Thanks, even if you won’t be joi…”
“Of course I will,” he calmly cut off his father’s friend, not thinking twice about speaking in full sentences with these people. He was sworn to follow Tan now, there was no room for misunderstandings in his dealings with them. Unimportant people could puzzle over his meanings, but if he was to be fighting alongside these men for the rest of his life… well, it was just polite, “Swore allegiance to Zhan Tan. I will be helping you to the best of my abilities... even if it means fighting under the command of someone else.”
Luan just stared at him, eyes wide with astonishment, his mouth slightly open. It was obvious that he had never expected something like that out of Huifeng.
He laughed softly as Luan shook his head sharply in an attempt to recover, then added as an afterthought, “You can go look for my father now, if you wish. I’ll help your brother defend Zhan Tan.”
“I… yes,” Luan nodded, “I should. I’ll speak with my lord about it, then leave with his permission.”
Huifeng nodded, turning his gaze to where Zhun Yan and Zhan Tan were, and noticing that both were heading towards the tavern section of the building. Curious, he shot a glance at Luan, then asked, “Do they intend to rent rooms here?”
Luan nodded, looking away as if he was embarrassed, “Well… yes.”
“This is not a place for anyone to stay.” With that, Huifeng strode forward, to grab a hold of Yan’s shoulder and fix him with a cool look, “No. This place is not for mongrels, much less people such as yourselves. If any of you had any sense within your heads, you would realize that.”
The sound of someone clearing their throat somewhat nervously made him shoot a glance backward, to see Zhen looking somewhat nervous and reluctant to speak.
“Well, you see… we don’t exactly have much money, so…”
“And I have plenty. Now come, I know a decent place.”
All four of them exchanged looks, and then Tan shrugged, “What can be the harm of it? Lead on, Huifeng, I trust your judgment.”
He lead the way out of the smoky tavern, turning to wind his way through the maze like streets, heading towards the one inn that he actually enjoyed.
::Where are we going?:: Huifeng felt Flame’s curiosity, as the dragon looked around with interest.
To an inn, like I told the others. Ricca will have rooms at a decent price.
::Ricca? … Odd name. Doesn’t sound like any of the others around here.::
That’s because she’s not from around here.
He stopped in front of a slightly run down looking building, looking up at the sign and smiling slightly at the familiar picture. The Mercenary’s Rest this place was called, and it lived up to its name.
Without a second thought, he pushed the door open and strode in, knowing that the other four were still following him, though they seemed hesitant to enter a place that looked, at least on the outside, just as bad as they place they had just left.
Their entrance had attracted the attention of the other people in the room, all of them mercenaries, though they all looked rather well to do.
“Huifeng… are you sure this place is…” Luan’s slightly nervous voice asked.
“Perfectly.” With that, he left them to either stand or find a table for themselves, as he snaked his way through the maze of tables and chairs, towards a counter in the back where several mercenaries sat and drank, and behind it stood a tall woman, her pale skin setting her apart from the rest, as did her blond hair. He smiled at her, bringing hands up to twist into forms that all mercenaries could read if they were paying attention.
When she nodded he bowed, hands flicking into the form for ‘thank you’, before he straightened and accepted the three keys that she handed him. Huifeng pocketed one, before turning and walking back to the other four.
“Here,” he said, as he held out the two keys, “sort yourselves out however you want.”
The four looked at each other, then Tan finally took both keys and thanked him.
“Where will you stay, Huifeng?” Zhun Yan asked.
“My usual room.” With that, he turned on his heel and stalked back into the maze, intent on finding old acquaintances.