CHAPTER II

As the sun rises the next day. The mist lifted in slow curls, revealing shafts of golden light that filtered through the leaves. Birds sang in distant clusters, and the air smelled of wet earth and camphor.

Inside the small cottage, the scent of warm tea and dried herbs filled the air. Mei sat at her wooden table, grinding a handful of leaves into powder. Across from her, Yao dozed in his fox form, tail curled over his nose, his breathing even and soft.

The peace of the morning felt almost fragile, like a lull before the wind.

Then, a faint rustle came from the bed in the corner. The child stirred, blinking in confusion as sunlight brushed her face. Her wounds were already healing, her fever gone. She sat up slowly, the blanket sliding off her shoulders.

Mei turned toward her with a gentle smile. “You’re awake.”

The girl rubbed her eyes, her voice still small. “I… I fell asleep?”

“You fainted,” Mei replied softly, pouring a small cup of water and handing it to her. “You were frightened and weak. Drink slowly.”

The child obeyed, her gaze flickering uncertainly between Mei and the sleeping fox. After a few quiet sips, she whispered, “You helped me.”

“You needed help,” Mei said simply, tucking the blanket around her shoulders again. “That’s what I do.”

There was a pause. The girl’s small fingers clutched the cup tightly. “My name’s Lian,” she said finally. “I… I didn’t tell you yesterday.”

“Lian,” Mei repeated with a kind nod. “A lovely name.”

But something in the girl’s expression shifted. Hesitation, guilt, and something unspoken. She looked down at her lap, fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve. “There’s something I have to do,” she murmured.

Yao’s ears twitched even in his sleep, though his eyes stayed closed.

Mei tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

The girl looked up, her eyes shining with nervous resolve. “The eunuch from the palace sent me,” she said in a rush. “I was told to find you, the witch of bamboo forest, and deliver this.”

From beneath her torn sleeve, Lian pulled out a folded letter sealed with dark red wax, bearing the Imperial crest.

The room seemed to still. Even the wind outside went quiet.

Mei didn’t move at first. Her expression remained calm, but something flickered in her eyes.  A memory, sharp and distant. Slowly, she reached out and took the letter, her fingertips brushing against the wax seal.

“You were being chased,” she said quietly. “Because of this?”

Lian nodded, guilt clouding her face. “They told me to come alone… but some soldiers tried to take it. I didn’t know who to trust.”

Yao rose then, shifting smoothly into his human form. His golden eyes glanced at the letter, then at the child. “So the palace finally remembers her name,” he said dryly. “After all these years.”

Mei said nothing. She broke the seal, unfolding the parchment carefully. The handwriting was elegant, but the words were heavy with command:

To the Witch of the Bamboo Forest, Mei Xinyi

By decree of His Imperial Majesty, your presence is requested at the Imperial Palace. Your knowledge of herbs and your… rare lineage… are required for a matter of grave urgency. You are to arrive within seven days, under royal protection.

Her hand tightened slightly on the paper. The air grew colder.

“The palace,” Yao murmured, eyes narrowing. “They want something from you. They always do.”

Mei folded the letter neatly and set it on the table. “Perhaps,” she said quietly. “But if the emperor himself calls upon me… it must be serious.”

Yao frowned. “You don’t have to go. You know how they see witches…how they saw your mother.”

Mei’s eyes softened at the mention of her mother, though her voice remained steady. “I know.” She looked toward the window, where sunlight streamed through the bamboo, painting her face in shifting light. “But I can’t ignore it either. If they need help… if someone’s suffering…”

Yao sighed, shaking his head. “You’re too kind for a world like theirs.”

Mei smiled faintly. “Or perhaps the world has simply forgotten kindness.”

The little girl looked up at her, eyes wide. “You’ll go?”

Mei reached out and brushed a tear from her cheek. “I will,” she said softly. “But not today. Rest a little longer. The road to the palace is long… and full of eyes.”

Outside, the wind rustled through the bamboo once lower and more restless, as if carrying whispers from the world beyond.

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