Roses Of An Empire

Chapter 3

Sayuri's POV

I kept running. I went as far as my feet would take me. I turned around for a brief moment, the second I turned back I bumped into something. Or rather someone.

It took me a second to even grasp what was happening. I looked over to the person I rammed over. Took me by surprise to be quiet honest.

"My apologies. I didn't know someone else would be out here. Are you alright?"

I offered my hand for assistance. She hesitated but reached out.

" No It's me who should apologize, I wasn't paying attention, and I tend to get lost out here even though I know this forest like the back of my hand. "

She looked at me. Gaze hard.

"Uh, what is the matter?" I asked. She seem to had shake off the gaze.

"Nothing, your beauty is like it has been blessed by the gods." As awkward as that sounded I felt a little prideful? No I don't think that was the right word? If she were to ever find out that I am a goddess that came from the celestial realm I would be as good as gone.

" Thank you. " She looked like she was of high status. Her clothing was made of silk and she talked in a polite tone.

" Okay now that I had a chance to chat I should really get going."

I grabbed the one thing I came here with and started my way.

"Hey wait just a moment. Please" She came towards me and started circling around and sizing me up and down.

" Okay I am not sure what is happening but it is starting to"

She looked at me and had a kind of taunting smile on her face. Oh this cant be good.

She whistled and next thing I saw was a couple of grown men appearing out from behind the trees.

"High priest if you are there I can really need some assistance right now!."

I started hearing this loud ringing and my head was on fire! I couldn't feel anything I looked around I saw a dim light. But for some reason no one was effected by this light. High priests boomed through my head.

"Your bow."

I ran towards the light and there it was my bow and arrows. Before I could even strike a shot the men slowly were being attacked. The only light that was being reflected was from the moon.

Little by little in one swift movement. All the men and the woman retreated and ran off. Leaving me still on attack position. My arrow now pointing towards the rescuer.

"I told you to just come with us." I recognized this voice. I know this voice!

He lowered the hood from that hid his face.

"The hunter." I whispered. He chucked and put his hands up in a surrendering motion.

" Careful now. Wouldn't want you to get hurt"

" I can handle myself thanks for your concern."

He nodded in agreement.

" Yeah and how did that end for you?"

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my arrow and tried leaving but I had no idea where I was. Lost in thought I had forgotten that he was still behind me.

He started walking and once he was a couple feet ahead of me he turned around to face me.

" You coming?"

I followed him at a safe distance. Well safe enough to whip out my bow and arrow in case he tried something.

We walked for a couple more miles. I looked up at the beautiful starry sky. It was 2:00 am.

The hunter kept looking my way.

" Is something on your mind?" I asked looking away from the night sky to look at him.

" Nothing just making sure you don't fall and break something." 

" Thanks for thinking of my wellbeing but I was trying to see what time it was." 

He looked at me and back up at the sky. 

"You mean to tell me that you can tell the time of day it is by checking the stars?" 

"Yes. And I feel like it is a great thing to know. In cases like these."

We walked for a couple more minutes in silence. I didn't really mind. I can hear the river gushing past these trees. The river bend going for miles, and the current strong.

" Also I never asked for your name." The hunter stated. 

" What is yours?" I replied back. 

" Uh uh, Ladies first." 

"Glad you acknowledge that I am most certainly a lady. but I will tell you mine if you tell me yours." 

" Hmm you aren't making this easy you know?" 

" Was it suppose to be?" I feigned innocence. 

He sighed and continued to walk ahead of me. I couldn't tell if he was agitated or hungry. Hangry sounds more appropriate.

" Sayuri." He turned around to look at me. As he turned to face me. He had a expressionless look on his face.

"My name is Sayuri." I told him once more. 

He nodded his head and continue to walk. I followed quickly behind him. A little salty that he didn't tell me his name, so I took matters into my own hands. 

"So are you going to tell me yours?" He shook his head no. Oh so all of a sudden he couldn't talk?

" Well that is just rude." We walked a little longer and at last we got to the village. Damn why did this feel like we have been walking for days, no scratch that MONTHS?! . 

Catching my breath. I felt so out of shape. The hunter on the other hand seemed quiet amused that I am literally gasping for air. 

" Well aren't you nice?" I said bitterly. 

" Stay  close when we are here. There are lots of people and it is easy to get lost. Someone might even rob you if you are keeping an eye out." 

Good to know. But what happens if I actually do end up getting lost? Then what?

I walked closely to the hunter and I have to admit there have been a couple times where I am almost lost him. It doesn't really help the fact that he changed his clothing to blend in with the crowd. 

He was blending in just fine, but there are some men that dressed almost exactly like him so it was kind of hard to keep an eye out for him. 

At this time my stomach was growling. I was starving, Not going to lie. I have felt more physical changes in a human body and I really do miss my celestial body right now. 

I am aching everywhere and I am SWEATING! I am sweating. It is disgusting. 

I was looking around and all of a sudden I couldn't find the hunter. He was no where in sight!

"Okay sayuri, don't panic! he probably just needed to go to the bathroom." I reassured myself. I sat down and decided to wait. 

I heard a group of men coming my way. I avoided eye contact and a handful of them where drunk off their asses. So that didn't ease my fear and worries. 

"uh high priest please tell me what I should do?" ...... Nothing! 

"Hey! do you see this beauty?! hey want to have a drink with us?" the very drunk man was tugging on the sleeve of my dress. 

"Looks like one of Madam Feng's dancers ran away"

Who the heck is Madam Feng? 

"Come one I will make your night, I will even pay you, How much do you charge over at Madam Feng?"

"You must've been sold to Madam Feng recently because I would remember seeing such a beauty around." Another man spoke from the group. Great they think I am a concubine. 

Ugh humans are so disgusting. The man that had been tugging on my sleeve tighten his grip on my sleeve and I can hear and feel the fabric starting to rip."

"If you value your pathetic life right now I suggest you unhand me." 

He must've thought that was an invitation to cling onto more. This man must really have a death wish right now. 

"Unhand me." 

The group of men inched closer and that was when I whipped out my bow, I aim it at the handsy man first.

" Like I said, if you value your pathetic life, I suggest you leave me alone. Unless you decide on a different course, then my wrath is not something you should be putting to the test." Each word that came out of my mouth spewed venom. 

I aim the arrow a little lower and shot. I intentionally missed of course but that was enough to scare them away. 

I blew the stray hair that had fallen onto my forehead and continued to sit and wait for the hunter. 

A couple minutes of waiting, the night grew and the streets came quiet. I decided I couldn't wait any longer and I decided to find shelter elsewhere. 

I was walking aimlessly. I couldn't even contact the High Priest. I kept contemplating about this whole mission. I did not even want to do this anymore. Already landed the first day and I have run into more problems than I can ever encounter as a celestial being. I found shelter in an old shed in an abandon part of the village. 

I walked towards that shed and just like perfect timing it had starting to rain. As thunder was crashing and booming through my eyes causing me to jump a little in surprise. 

The thunder goddess must be mad at the Lightning Immortal. Normally it would never be an issue in the celestial realm but it must be terrible to hear it from her in the mortal realm. They really do hear everything 10 times worse than in the celestial realm.

After somewhat making an attempt to make this situation better. I tuned into my thoughts.

"High Priest, please answer me."

"Goddess. there has been something that I forgot to mention."

"And that was?" 

"Your powers will be in full use starting twilight. You have to be careful to not use it in the public eye. You shouldn't draw much attention to you." 

" My powers? you left out that minor detail?" All this time I felt like I would not be able to make it out here and he tells me this WONDERFUL news?!

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" 

"My apologizes my goddess it had slipped my mind." 

"Is that right?" Whatever I have to find something to eat though. I am starving!

I slept through this hunger. Thunder roaring beyond the clouds and the sound of rain crashing down the shelter like a hail storm. 

I woke up to birds singing outside. I grabbed my arrow and scoped out the area. I lost the hunter. I didn't even get his name so I wouldn't even know how to find him. 

I kept walking around the area and found myself at the same village as last night. Only today, it was bright out. Everyone was staring at me. Whispering. I overheard a villager talk about my hair. 

"Do you think she is a witch? with her hair color like that?" I haven't the slightest clue what was happening. People backed away when I walked near them. Other villagers looked at my face and saw beauty. 

"The heavens have blessed her with such beauty." some whispered. 

I found myself at a lake or pond. I looked at my reflection and now I know why they were talking. 

My hair was a black and blue ombre with little silver tips. My skin pale as powder and my qipao was a beautiful black and blue silk thread, with a floral print at the bottom. 

It was beautiful. I was burning daylight and the first thing I needed to do was find a way to get food. The  hunger struck causing my stomach to hurt a bit. I gathered my arrows and bow and made my way east out of town. I walked along the same trail in the woods that I had walked last night with the hunter. 

Everything looks much prettier and clear when the sun is up. I stumbled across something. I walked towards it, with a stick of course. 

It was a jade pendant. I examined the beautiful details. As my fingers barely grazed over the jade. 

My body felt a sudden shock.