358 XIAO MUGI

The first thing she felt was warmth that wrapping her body before light that illuminated her close eyes gave an urge for her to shield her face.

She tried to lift her hand, but the next second she moved it, a piercing pain forced her to whimper in misery, especially her left arm and the area over her chest. It was burning in anguish.

Her cracked lips parted as she let out a small cried. Her eyes were still shut tight, covering her vision from the blinding light that interfere her slept.

After she felt the pain and was able to see the light, next, it was her hearing ability that took her attention. A small voice from her right side told her there was someone else nearby.

She couldn't comprehend what they were saying, the sound of their voice was like a buzz in her ear. Without her realizing, she let out a whimper from her lips, trying to open her eyes with no avail.

Gradually, she sense someone else hovering above her, their shadow fell on her face and blocked the blinding light. Only then, she tried once again to move her eyelids. It was much easier to do without the glowing bright.

At first, her vision was hazy from the image before her eyes before it gradually create a shape and the buzz voices around her became more coherent.

"Senja, can you hear me?"

Someone called her name out while her feature bit by bit became vivid in Senja's eyes.

"…Water …" Senja said softly. Her voice sounded not like her, it was rasp and rough.

Afterwards, the woman slid her hand on the back of her head and hoisted her. She brought a cup of water to her lips.

"Drink slowly…" She reminded Senja.

Senja took a sip slowly, the fresh liquid moist her chapped lips and flew into her rugged throat. After she drank a full of cup, the woman asked if she wanted more, Senja shook her head weakly as a replied.

The light was blinding her vision again when she was laid on the pillow, she tried to raise her hand to shield her face, but the pain stopped her attempt.

"… Light…" She said weakly, this time her voice sounded smoother than before, she closed her eyes once again until the woman stood up, blocked the light that came through the window with a curtain and sat on the edge of her bed.

"How is your feeling?" Her voice was soft and she grabbed Senja's hand carefully.

Her eyelids were fluttering in her effort to open her eyes. In front of her, sitting a woman in yellow dress, her eyes were so gentle when she held Senja's questioning gazed.

"I am Qianru, Xiao Jun's wife." Qianru introduced herself. "Now tell me how are you feeling now, are you feeling hurt somewhere?" The tip of her fingers brushed away unraveled hair from Senja's face.

Her movement was so gentle, Senja didn't remember if she had ever met someone as delicate as the woman in front of her, her smile was sincere as her eyes radiated a genuine concern about Senja condition.

Senja knew about Qianru existence as Xiao Jun's wife, but didn't pay attention more than that.

"… My shoulder…" Senja whined.

"Yes, you got shot on your shoulder and been poisoned as well, so it is … " Qianru kept talking to inform her that they were fortunate enough to be able to keep her live, because the wolf bane poison was very dangerous and the affect was quite fast.

Qianru told her that the Shadow Guard who was supposed to meet them in the border line had been ambushed and then the moment they arrived at the border line, Senja had fell unconscious by the poison along with the arrow which was shot on her shoulder.

Lucky them, Qi Xunyi's troops who had waited in the opposite of the border gate, felt something was amiss, therefore they barged inside and saw the fight had broke between The Shadow Guard and The Golden Archer Arrow while Senja laying unconscious among them.

Qianru kept rumbling about how Qi Xunyi saved her and gave emergency treatment, so Senja could make it to Greenhill Mountain and get the antidote for her poison, but…

While Qianru filled her with the information about what had happened, along with that the unwanted memory on the back of her mind crept forward and overwhelmed Senja with the emotion.

She didn't know since when she closed her eyes and was crying. "Grandfather…" She whimpered when the memory of Elder Dam's bloody body in her embraced, emerged.

Her voice faded away when she watched Senja started crying. "It's okay… it's alright…" Qianru persuaded her. She lifted Senja's head in her embraced and was rocking her back and forth.

"We buried him three days ago, if you feel better let's visit him, alright?" Her calm voice and soft tone soothed Senja's nerve. The tranquility that emitted from her gave calm effect on Senja and eventually her wept subsided.

"How long I have been here…?" She asked as she was laid back on her pillow.

"It's have been four days since they brought you here." Qianru wiped the remaining tears from Senja's cheek. She acted like an older sister for her. "We had informed Xiao Tianyao and he is on his way here. But, because he was quite far when he received the news, it took quite long time before he would reach this place."

Senja nodded slowly.

"I will bring your food so you can recover quickly." Qianru said as she stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Senja who was staring at the ceiling with hollow in her chest.

.....

In the next day, Senja finally fell asleep when the sun rose on the horizon, besides her aching shoulder and a mournful of loss and sorrow tore up her emotions, she has trouble to doze off.

Qi Xunyi and the twins have met her and asked about her conditions, but she didn't meet Uncle Su yet.

In the other hand, Yoda and the two guards were recuperating from the battle in another room, Qi Xunyi said, their injury wasn't serious and all they needed were to rest. This news consoled Senja a bit.

A creaked on the door woke her up, but her eyes reminded close. She was too tired to even open it, yet her mind couldn't rest.

Whoever the person who was walking inside her room, Senja could feel he was staring at her as his eyes boring her face. Slowly, that person stood beside her and sat on the edge of her bed.

While Senja felt the bed dip down by their weigh, she was wondering, who was it?

A moment later she felt that person was tugging her hair and twirled it between their fingers.

The tickles feeling on her scalps annoyed her and forced her eyelids to flutter open. There, a boy around six to seven years old was playing with her hair. Curiosity on his black eyes was clear to see.

"What are you doing?" Senja asked him.

They boy looked at her eyes in surprised because Senja caught him red- handed. The apple on his cheek blushed that made him looked more adorable. However, in spite of his sheepish reaction, his voice when he answered Senja's question was firm and callous.

"Why do you have purple hair?" He asked, still holding strands of Senja's hair.

"Who are you?"

"I asked you first." He stated firmly.

"But, you need to introduce yourself first."

"After you answer my question, I will answer yours." The little boy concluded easily.

Senja raised her brows, somehow, his attitude reminded Senja of someone…

"I want to sleep." Senja said nonchalantly and closed her eyes.

"My name is Xiao Mugi." He finally told her his name.

Senja's eyes immediately opened.

**Damn! I knew he remind me of someone…**

The little boy in front of her was Luna and Xiao Tianyao's son. This time Senja took her time to scrutinize him.

He was absolutely has Xiao Tianyao's defiant aura around him, even though he was just a six years old boy, but his strong presence and stubbornness were easy to sense, at least for Senja. Now, when she somber enough to take a measure of him, she felt like this kid very similar to Xiao Tianyao.

His eyes, his nose, his brows and the way he pouted his lips now. Because Senja never saw how Luna looked like, she was very sure that the boy in front of her resembled Xiao Tianyao in any way possible.

"I have told you my name." He said, twirling Senja's hair between his fingers. "Now, tell me why your hair is purple."