367 VISITING ELDER DAM

She stared in front of the gate at him. He was still wearing his travel cloak and looked worn out, but as attractive as ever.

He had been talking with Qianru when Senja barge inside the house and made a noise. Both of them were staring at Senja, startled. But, it was only his eyes that held her captive.

Those deep dark eyes, the scar on his eyebrows and his warmth embrace.

"Senja, finally you are home. Tianyao just now came…" Qianru was the first person that spoke when she saw Senja.

However, it was Xiao Tianyao who immediately walked approaching her the moment he laid his eyes on her and felt something off from her behavior. As he marched toward Senja, he could see the tears started to form in her eyes.

He walked faster and hugged her tightly, holding her as though she would crumble. He could feel the thunderous emotion that was forming inside her small body as her shoulder was shaking.

He held her waist to steady her and stroke her back in attempt to alleviate her sadness. He whispered sweet nothing words into her ears, but it seemed nothing of his effort was worked.

Senja wrapped her arms around his neck as she cried her heart out on his shoulder, the feeling that she had been keeping for days now. The muffled sobbing sound from her lips barely heard, but the shaking of her body was visible to see.

"Why are you running?" Xiao Mugi child like voice echoed from the entrance door.

He was panting and breathless, however when he saw Senja was crying in his father arms, he held back his complain.

Qianru approached Xiao Mugi. "Let's get inside…" She said softly, didn't want to disturb Senja.

Qianru had noticed this from the beginning that Senja was holding back her grievances and that wasn't a good thing. It was good that finally she could vent out her sorrow.

"What happen to her? Why she is crying?" Xiao Mugi kept looking back at Senja when Qianru brought him inside the house.

"It's okay." Qianru said reassured him. "She will be fine."

"Aunty, I didn't do anything bad…" Xiao Mugi said meekly, feeling guilty because he was insisting to stay at the training ground. Probably, Senja was upset at him because of that?

Qianru smiled and stroked his head. "I know, Senja just feel a little bit gloomy."

Before they turned on the corner, Xiao Mugi glanced at Senja who still shuddered in his father embraced as his mood turned gloomy as well.

It took long time to calm Senja down and a lot of more effort to persuade her to visit Elder Dam's grave. Yet, she agreed in the end.

They would visit Elder Dam the next morning.

That night, after Xiao Tianyao had settled Senja inside of her room, he walked into Xiao Mugi's room.

His son had slept.

He tucked his small body into the blanket and kissed his forehead. He felt guilty to abandon him and never been there for him.

However there was something uncomfortable inside him every time Xiao Mugi was around, the feeling of guilty and anger that didn't relate to one and another.

He didn't know why he felt that way, but this disturbed him.

...…

In the morning the next day.

Before everyone was up and when the sky still dark, Xiao Tianyao and Senja were walking hand in hand toward Elder Dam's graveyard. Senja insisted to visit as soon as possible before she lost her courage again.

Looking at Elder Dam's grave would be like a final for her. She knew that her grandfather wouldn't be around anymore, but to visit him like this was entirely different thing.

Last night Qianru had told Xiao Tianyao about the location.

Now, both of them were walking in silence, but it was the silence that Senja needed at this time.

Elder Dam's grave was only a mound ground with his sword stuck on the spot of tombstone should be.

When they arrived, both of them knelt.

Senja gulp hard.

**This is it…**

"I am sorry for coming late…" Senja said barely a whisper.

She lowered her head as her tears cascading from her eyes, she cried in silence as all the memories of Elder Dam rushed from the back of her head that she had been trying to block.

All of those overwhelmed her as her body started shaking.

Senja wasn't the type that would scream in anguish to release the pain that she felt. She chose to mourn in silence, let her tears rinsed away her sadness and agony.

She cherished every moment that she had spent with him and she was also grateful for all that he had done for her. She hoped she had a little bit more time to make him happy or to find his real granddaughter.

However, none of that would happen. Because, Elder Dam had gone, no matter what she did she would never see him again.

In the other hand, Xiao Tianyao accompany her in silence as he stroked her back in form of comfort, even though he knew nothing that could comfort her at this time.

It was taking a long time for Senja silent cry turned into a hiccup. When it happened the sun had risen.

"Feeling better?" Xiao Tianyao asked with concerned.

Senja felt her tears had been squeezed out from her eyes and her energy had been sucked dry. But, yes, it felt better. "Yes."

"Should we return now?" Xiao Tianyao stood up and reached out his hand.

"Let's return…" She replied as she placed her hand on his and stood up.

After both of them said their goodbye, both of them walked back toward the village, there was a lot of things to do and war with Xiao Zi was almost in front of their eyes.

.....

Xiao Tianyao escorted Senja until her room afterwards he was looking for Xiao Mugi, but the little boy was nowhere to be found.

Apparently he was away with Qianru.

Because he couldn't leave Senja alone so Xiao Tianyao decided to summon Leader Jingguo to the study room and discussed the matter about the Shadow Guard.

Meanwhile Senja was inside her room, staring blankly at the food in front of her.

She felt tired, even to think her mind seemed rejected the effort. She wanted to sleep, but no matter how heavy her eyelids, she couldn't fell into slumber state.

Senja even didn't realize when Xiao Mugi entered her room and stood in front of her, staring at the dismayed Senja.

"Why don't you eat?" Xiao Mugi asked. But there was no respond from her.

He walked closer and sat on the seat beside her. He nudged her arms. "Why don't you eat?"

Only then Senja averted her eyes and stared at him. "I am not hungry."

"You have to eat or you will get sick." He said, trying to persuade her.

"I am already sick…" Senja retorted sullenly.

"That was why you must to eat." Xiao Mugi took the bowl from the table and scooped a spoon full of soup. "Eat."

"…Are you feeding me?" Senja bemused, but a faint smile curled on her lips.

"You said you are sick." Xiao Mugi was still holding the spoon right in front of Senja's lips. "Eat…"

"Okay…" Senja opened her mouth and devour the savory taste from the soup.

"Aunty Qianru always feeds me if I am sick." Xiao Mugi explained while Senja only nodded by his words.

After a bowl of soups was done, Xiao Mugi fed Senja with fruit and cake, Senja ate them all without protested.

However, after some time the little boy felt something was amiss.

"You have a good appetite for someone who is sick." Xiao Mugi looked over at the two empty bowl and all the fruit along with the cake that he had fed her. "When I was sick, I even have difficulty to finish one bowl of porridge."

Senja was almost choked by the cake that she was eating upon hearing his comment.

"I have a big stomach…" Senja grumbled.

"I can see that…"

.....

Inside the study room, Leader Jingguo was kneeling in front of Xiao Tianyao after he saw the token that Elder Dam had given to him.

That token was a remark of the successor of the Black Sword Clan. With that, Xiao Tianyao was the supreme leader of the Shadow Guard.

In the beginning, Leader Jingguo was confused about someone who would lead the Clan after Elder Dam passed away. It was supposed to be would be handed down to Wang Yu, however Elder Dam never say anything about it, even he didn't give a hint about who would be his successor.

They couldn't follow Wang Yu blindly, as he was the person who had killed Elder Dam. He was the last person that they wanted to follow.

Recently, the Shadow Guards were going restless about this matter. The vocal voice that came out from it was they would pledge their loyalty toward Senja. Even though, never in their history that a woman led them, but it was better than the person who had committed patricide.

Hence, the moment Leader Jingguo saw the token he was elated. Elder Dam had chosen his successor and Xiao Tianyao was the right person for this.

Leader Jingguo had known Xiao Tianyao since he was a teenager and knew his character well. Even though he wasn't coming from The Black Sword Clan, but since he was married Senja, it wouldn't change much of the lineage.

"I don't want the ceremony," Xiao Tianyao said when he heard there would be a ceremony for the new leader. "Just inform the rest of you about this. Be prepared because we will leave soon."

Leader Jingguo lowered his head as he received the first task from Xiao Tianyao.

"If you don't have question, you can leave." Xiao Tianyao said tiredly.

Leader Jingguo gave a bowed before he strode out from the room, leaving Xiao Tianyao.

He needed to send the rest of the Shadow Guard to the Western side of the Kingdom of Azura. They would invade the second big City of Azura, Q City, before they move to L City and then the last was to seize the Capital City.

The three of leader from the meeting before would do that while Xiao Jun and he would go to Misty Cloud Clan hideout.

Right, Xiao Tianyao just received the news that Xiao Jun and the rest succeeded to figure out their hideout, from the secret meeting between L Clan and Mystic Clan, the assignment that he had left behind.

Because Misty Cloud Clan had been helping Xiao Zi to usurp the throne and had been backing his up all this time. So they needed to destroy them as well.

Xiao Jun will meet Xiao Tianyao two weeks from now at The Mountain Sui. Both of them would dig any information about their activity.

Their task was only to collect information. Xiao Jun was familiar with Mountain Sui area, so he volunteered to do this.

It was only a matter of time.