The Dark Forest

In the stormy night, the forest was covered with darkness, tall trees were blending into shadows of dark clouds in the sky. Everything was brightened with loud thunder and lightening for a moment, indicating upcoming heavy rain.

The forest was once again restored to darkness after the lightening subsided. There were numerous people dressed as royal guards, riding the horses, carrying the swords searching for someone.

"Where is she?" The leader in the front shouted.

"We have searched all around, they must have entered the dark forest." his subordinate answered.

"Then search through the whole forest, she must not leave here alive tonight." The leader said and the horsemen entered the forest.

In the middle of the forest, behind a big wide tree, a woman dressed in royal clothes was hidden with help of big tall bushes around. Her Phoenix crown indicating that she was the Empress.

She was lying against the tree, clutching her big stomach and her beautiful face was covered with sweat. She was holding in her screams but blood has already started to flow from her lower body.

With her was a man dressed as a guard, who was heavily injured supporting her.

"Your Majesty... please hold on.." He uttered in low voice wiping the sweat from the woman's face.

The woman looked at the sky and let out a scream drowned with the sound of the thunder.

"Ye Hong... I'm about to give birth..." She said breathlessly.

"Your Majesty... " The man named Ye Hong turned away from her enduring the pain from the wound on his shoulder.

After many countless painful screams, came the faint sound of a baby. The Empress carefully wrapped up the baby in her outer robe.

She weakly tapped Ye Hong who turned back around to her.

"Here, hold your Prince, I name him . Protect him with your life." She said resting her back against the tree letting out a shaky breath as she felt all the energy leave from her.

Ye Hong held the newborn prince tightly and looked at her, "We can still escape, Your Majesty."

She shook her head, "They will be here any minute now, I'll only drag you down with me. Your Priority now is to keep the Prince safe... I can hold them off for sometime."

"I cannot leave you behind, I vowed my life for your protection."

"It's an order from your Empress. Take the Prince to the safety, he is replacing me as your Lord from now on." She said taking out a green jade token and handed it to him.

"You know where to go." She said to him pointing at the small path behind her and he nodded taking the jade.

The footsteps of horses were heard coming in their direction.

She gently caressed the baby's face for the last time.

"Leave.." She ordered.

Ye Hong bowed down to her and left with the baby. She wiped up the tears flowing through her eyes and grabbed her Red Iron sword, determination flashing through her eyes.

"Found her... " The Soldier shouted and soon all of them were standing in front of her.

She stood up holding the sword in front of the small path leading east. The leader of the soldiers reached at the front, looked at her and then at her stomach.

"Where's the baby?" He murmured, narrowing his eyes at the path behind her, he ordered, "Go east, find Ye Hong and kill the him and the baby at all costs."

The Empress pointed her sword at the soldiers who wanted to cross her, blocking the path for them to move.

The Leader laughed, "You think you can fight the Imperial army by yourself. You think too highly of youself, Your Majesty."

She looked at him scoffed and swung her sword at two soldiers in front of her, slashing their necks in an instant.

"Why don't you give it a try?" She said looking him in the eye as two bodies with blood dripping down their neck dropped by her feet.

The Leader was enraged and bellowed, "Xia Jingxi.... Soldiers kill her."

With that, many guards came towards her swinging their swords and a fierce battle ensued. The lightening flashed again and again as it started to pour down heavily.

After sometime there were dozens of soldiers lying dead and many cuts and wounds decorating the Empress's body who was still battling with blood dripping down her sword.

She didn't let even one soldier continue to chase down the east path.

"Get me my bow and arrow." The leader ordered his subordinate who handed it to him.

The leader pointed the arrow to the Empress's back who was still fighting.

"It's not honorable to attack from back in the battle." his subordinate said in a low voice.

"Then let me remind you.. this isn't a battle." The leader said and fired the arrow piercing her as she vomited a mouthfull of blood and kneeled down to the ground.

Another arrow struck her making her drop her sword and slump to ground in water that had turned red with blood.

"Imperial Xia army has really lost all the last shreds of dignity today..." She said as looked at him.

The leader's subordinate looked down in shame as the leader ordered, "Chase down east."

"We have to go back... Red River Army is coming this way, mercilessly killing our soldiers." A messenger came running to them.

The leader looked at her and towards the east, but he had no choice but to give up,

"Retreat.." he said and all of them begin moving away.

The Empress felt her conscious slipping away as she looked towards the east path and whispered, "Sorry..."

She could faintly hear several horse steps, and footsteps in the water running to her....

"Xi'er.. . ", a scream sounded as she closed her eyes forever.

.....

Xia Jingxi woke up with a startle, covered in sweat to find herself in the tent of the army camp.

She had the same beautiful face as the Empress in the dream, elegant persona, long black hair tied and dressed in warrior clothes.

Her maid, Ji Ran came running in on hearing her voice.

"Princess, you are awake. Did you have the same nightmare again? You are sweating." She said as she handed her a cup of water and wiped the sweat from her face.

Xia Jingxi nodded and handed her the cup back after taking a sip of water.

"What are you doing in the army camp?" she asked the maid.

"His Majesty was worried, when he heard you had an accident and asked me to come here and look after you." Ji Ran answered.

"It's nothing, I just fell off the horse and hit my head... nothing too serious." Xia Jingxi said getting up and putting on her silver mask.

"Did anyone saw my face?" Princess Jingxi asked.

"No one did. Your mask was still there, it was me who removed it." Ji Ran reported.

"You can go back to the palace first. I'm going out." She said taking her sword and exiting the tent.

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