A Daily Life of a Fire Dragon

6.Army camp

Run Yu really can’t walk more than a few steps before he collapses. Shi Lang has to take better care of this human. He sits him back at the table to take some more rest. Maybe some tea infused with his own energy would do the trick? His favourite is Jasmine leaves, because of the sweet aftertaste. A gentle tea all around. He pours a cup and blows lightly over it. Not to cool it, but to infuse power into it. The General looks tired. It will take Shi Lang some time to call his lover Run Yu when he sees him in this uniform. It kind of clashes with the image. He likes him either way. It’s just something about that uniform that calls for respect. Now he wants to see how other people treat him. Do they fear him?

“Drink the tea. Then I need you to tell me where the army camp is,” Shi Lang passes the tea cup to the General.

“Are you serious about taking me there? It’s quite a long walk,” the General answers.

“I will do as I promised. I never go back on my word,” he smiles. It’s safe now. The dragon pendant is hanging on the sash next to the General’s mark. Maybe he should explain what that really means?

“I can’t stop you even if I try?” The General chuckles.

“No. I said I will get you there before nightfall. Now, we have about half an hour left,” Shi Lang shrugs. “You will find out that I can be stubborn. It’s easier to just give in.”

“Fine. The army camp is about an hour and a half walk upstream,” the General says.

“And you walked all the way?” Shi Lang looks at the man in a new light. He has seen many generals in his life. None of them walked if they could have ridden a horse.

“I needed to clear my head, then I got distracted,” the General shrugs again. He is taking it lightly, but his feelings are anything but that.

“Let’s go, then,” he smiles. The General is worried about something. Is he reluctant to be seen with him? It would be so much easier to just read his mind, but that is rude. Shi Lang likes him, so he will never stoop so low as to invade his thoughts.

There is just enough space on the riverbank to allow Shi Lang to transform into his dragon form. But there is something he needs to make clear first: “I have never allowed anyone to ride on me before. This is a day for first things. You can count yourself lucky.”

“First things? As in more than one?” The General sputters. “What else was your first?”

“First kiss, first s*x,” Shi Lang counts on his fingers as he talks. “You’re actually the first person I allowed to my cottage, and the first to visit the hot spring.”

“Dear Gods! Tell me you’re legally an adult? There won’t be an angry father chasing me down because I ruined his son?” The General looks more pale from second to second as he speaks.

“No,” Shi Lang laughs wholeheartedly. “I’m over four thousand years old. And dragons hatch from eggs. I have never met my parents.”

He transforms after that to prevent any further questions. He still didn’t explain the pendant. And he forgot to tell the General where he should sit. But the man is clever enough to climb up his front leg and sit between the spikes. He holds on to the long black mane and not the horns on his head. That would seriously enrage him. The horns are sacred, not to be touched. He takes into the air just as he ever does. There is just one speed of flying and that is fast. He can see the army camp in a matter of minutes. There is a good spot to land that looks like it can’t be seen from the watchtower, so he chooses that. Then he waits for the General to climb down. When nothing happens for a few minutes, he transforms and catches him before he hits the ground.

“General Shang?” Shi Lang looks at him with worry. Was he shocked? Or he didn’t take well to flying? “Run Yu? Say something?”

“What if you get seen? You came so close to the camp?” The General says quietly. He really worries about that?

“I can make myself invisible. Nobody saw me,” Shi Lang explains. “That pendant I gave you is infused with my magic. You can see me as long as you have it on your person. It will also protect you from my charm. And you can use it to call for help if you need it.”

“When will I see you if you go back?” The General asks.

“You don’t want to part with me? Take me with you, then. I have no obligations,” Shi Lang shrugs. He will not admit that he is reluctant to part with his lover.

“I just might. There is no way I can explain who you are, though. Some of my advisers might protest,” the General scoffs.

“About me in the camp, or me in your tent?” Shi Lang wants to know. “I can always challenge them to a fight. I’m confident that I can take down your best fighter even without magic.”

“You’re good at martial arts? What weapon do you use?” The General looks interested instead of afraid. It’s a much better look for him.

“A sword, a spear, and a bow,” Shi Lang tells him. “Now that we’re talking about it, I’m itching for a fight. The cultivators never take me up on a challenge. Even if I swear not to use magic.”

The guards at the gate don’t even blink at them when the General shows up with Shi Lang in tow. Walking across the camp to the General’s tent, he can feel a lot of curious eyes on him. He stands out with his dark red robes and long hair, so naturally, everyone sees him. The commotion starts with a few other men dressed the same as General Shang. Ordinary soldiers know to stay out of the General’s private affairs. His fellow officers are a different bunch, though. They feel like he owes them an explanation.

“Who’s he? If the supplies can’t come through, how can an emissary?” One of them asks and the others nod in unison.

“Not an emissary. Isn’t that obvious?” General Shang shakes his head.

“Where were you all day? We’re waiting for you to decide what to do next?” Another one asks. They all look at General Shang expectantly. Is he the only one to make any kind of decisions here? Shi Lang stays quiet and waits for a prompt from General Shang.

“Not out here. Just get in the tent,” General Shang glares at his officers. He doesn’t wait for a response, but walks briskly inside. He takes place at his desk and motions for Shi Lang to sit closest to him.

“Where were you?” A young man asks again. He looks much alike with General Shang.

“Out for a walk,” General Shang sighs. “Not that I owe you an explanation, brother.”

“And where did you pick this one up?” The General’s brother continues.

“A bit downstream. Can you stop the interrogation now? Did you catch any fish today? Did you feed the men?” General Shang switches the topic.

“Are you sure he’s not a spy?” His brother keeps going. Relentlessly of the questions he didn’t answer.

“He is not a spy,” General Shang smiles. “He’s a dear friend. A powerful friend. I will only give all of you one warning: stay away!”

Is that jealousy? Or concern? Shi Lang can feel both from the General. But who is he concerned for? He should know that Shi Lang can take care of himself. Is he worried that he might hurt his brother? Even if the younger Shang challenges him to a fight, he can take him down without any major issue. He might humiliate him, but he would never kill him. The looks he gets from the advisors are a mix of wonder, admiration, and concern. He knows exactly what he looks like to humans. They are probably wondering who he is and where he came from. If he is not an emissary, then who is he? He must be an aristocrat in their eyes. Normal people would never think about cultivators or spirits first. None of them are as suspicious as General Shang.

“Only a cultivator could come across enemy lines, but I don’t see a sword? And I don’t remember any clan that wears dark red robes,” the younger Shang looks at him with suspicion. He is remarkably astute.

“I’m not a member of any of the major clans. I can wear what robes I want,” Shi Lang answers. He gives a slight imperial bow to the advisors without standing up. That might anger them a bit, but he has nothing to fear.

“Not one cultivator clan would help us, so why are you here?” The younger Shang asks. He seems to be the official speaker for the advisors. Or just the more persistent one when it comes to pestering the General.

“I came to visit. If you don’t like me doing nothing around here, you can always come to me for training,” Shi Lang casts his bait. Maybe the young hothead will take it?

“Shi Lang! Don’t encourage him!” General Shang glares at him. “Shang Yi! Don’t you see he’s baiting you? Be the wiser man!”

“What? I will never stand down to a kid, no matter who he is. Where did you find him? He’s all of seventeen!” Shang Yi scoffs. The guy has a very short fuse. Any small thing can throw him off, and not even his older brother can keep him in check. Was he sent to the army to join his older brother in hopes to educate him? If so, that was a wise decision on their parents part. But the brother might not be the right man to shape him. Shang Run Yu is just too good to his little brother. Shi Lang has no such scruples. He looks at the General and winks at him.