13、第 13 章 The m ...
-
Chapter Thirteen — The Mountain Hunt
By the third morning, Suyuan had already accepted that the competition would soon be over. She sat beneath the shade of a large tree during breakfast, quietly peeling an orange while Ayao complained about her sore legs from the previous day's activities. Around them, the atmosphere was much livelier than usual. The final competition was to be held in the mountain forest, where each participant would have to retrieve a red feather placed somewhere along the mountain trail and return before sunset. The first person to return with the feather would be declared the winner. Suyuan listened while Ayao explained the rules, then calmly placed another piece of orange into her mouth. "So all I need to do is come back last." Ayao stared at her.
A shadow suddenly fell across their table. "Princess Suyuan." Suyuan looked up and found a young man standing before her. He wore the dark riding clothes of a Younis warrior, his long hair tied high behind his head. Unlike the arrogant princes who spent most of their time boasting, he carried himself quietly. It was Tarkan, the son of one of the Khan's younger brothers and Suyuan's distant cousin. He had grown up within the same palace, but because Suyuan spent most of her time in the Orchid Courtyard, they rarely spoke. "Cousin Tarkan," Suyuan greeted politely. Tarkan smiled and placed a small wooden bowl of fruit beside her. "You haven't eaten much." Suyuan looked at the bowl, then at him. "I'm eating." "You're eating an orange." "It's still food." Tarkan sighed before sitting across from her. "You've always been stubborn."
Ayao immediately became interested in her breakfast. Suyuan noticed the faint concern in Tarkan's eyes and gave him a small smile. "You don't need to worry about me. I'll survive." Tarkan's smile faded slightly. "I know you will. I'm more worried about the competition." Before Suyuan could answer, another voice came from behind them. "If she wants to do anything , perhaps you should let her." The man from the river had arrived.He was dressed simply again, but there was something about him that made people naturally move aside when he walked past. His name, Suyuan learned, was Khasar, a young prince from the visiting Kharun delegation.He stopped beside their table and looked at Tarkan. The two men exchanged a brief glance that carried far more tension than their polite expressions suggested. Tarkan leaned back. "And why would you care whether she wins?" Khasar's eyes shifted toward Suyuan. "I don't." Suyuan raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you here?" Khasar paused. For perhaps the first time since meeting him, he seemed unable to find an immediate answer. "I was passing by."
Ayao nearly laughed. Tarkan looked unimpressed. "The dining area is in the other direction." Khasar glanced at him. "Then I must have taken a wrong turn." Suyuan lowered her head to hide her smile. These two men were strange. One had known her for years but rarely approached her, while the other had saved her life at the river and now seemed to appear wherever she went. She decided it was safer to concentrate on her orange.
Soon, the final competition began. The participants gathered at the foot of the mountain while warriors explained the rules. The mountain trail was steep in places, with thick trees covering the slopes and narrow paths winding between rocks. Each competitor received a small cloth pouch and was instructed to find the red feather hidden somewhere beyond the first ridge. They could take any route they wished, but they had to return before sunset. "Remember," one of the elders announced, "the mountain does not care who you are. Watch your footing." The signal sounded, and the competitors rushed into the forest.
Suyuan waited then she walked. Ayao, who had been assigned to accompany the attendants rather than compete, watched her disappear between the trees. "She'll probably come back after everyone else," she muttered. "That's the plan," Tarkan replied from nearby. His gaze remained fixed on the forest entrance. Khasar stood several steps away, equally quiet. The two men seemed to share the same uneasiness, although neither said anything. Meanwhile, Suyuan continued deeper into the mountain. She had no intention of finding the feather quickly. In fact, she deliberately chose a narrow trail that seemed to lead nowhere. The further she went, however, the quieter the mountain became.
Suyuan followed the trail around the hillside, carefully stepping over exposed roots and loose stones. Her body was already beginning to protest from the climb, and a dull ache had settled behind her temples. She leaned against a tree for a moment to catch her breath before continuing. Then the earth beneath her foot suddenly shifted. Suyuan's eyes widened. She grabbed for a branch, but the brittle wood snapped beneath her hand, sending her down the slope. She tumbled through the undergrowth before finally coming to a stop at the bottom of the hill. For several moments, she simply lay there, dazed and struggling to catch her breath. Her ankle hurt badly enough that standing was difficult, and the cold seemed to seep straight through her clothes.
Back at the starting point, the competitors gradually began returning. One by one, horses appeared along the trail, followed by riders carrying their red feathers proudly. Tarkan had already returned with his prize when he looked toward the mountain again. "Where is Suyuan?" Ayao's heart sank. She had expected Suyuan to deliberately lose, but not to disappear entirely. Tarkan immediately handed his feather to one of the attendants and mounted his horse. "Which trail did she take?" Ayao pointed toward the northern slope. Before she could say anything else, Khasar was already approaching. His expression had lost its usual amusement. "The northern slope?" Tarkan asked. "That's where she went?" Ayao nodded. The two men exchanged a look. Neither waited for permission.
"Take the horses," Tarkan ordered the nearest warrior. "We're going in."
Khasar mounted his horse and looked toward the mountain. "We'll split up."
Tarkan shook his head. "No. If she falls somewhere in the northern slope, searching separately will waste time." For once, neither man argued.Ayao watched them disappear between the trees before turning around and running toward the palace. There was no way two people could search the entire mountain before nightfall. Someone needed to inform the Khan.
Meanwhile, Suyuan had managed to pull herself away from the bottom of the slope. She couldn't walk properly, so she used a fallen branch to steady herself and searched for shelter. The temperature was dropping quickly. Her fingers were becoming numb, and her breath came out in pale clouds. She knew she couldn't remain exposed on the mountainside until someone found her. Then she heard a faint sound , a whimper. Suyuan followed it beneath a cluster of trees and found a large gray wolf lying motionless beside a hollow in the earth. It was clear that the animal had been there for some time. Beside it, a tiny pup trembled, pressing itself against the warmth that was no longer there. Suyuan stopped for a moment, she simply looked at them.
"You're alone too?"
The pup gave a weak little sound.
Suyuan crouched down despite the pain in her leg. She carefully lifted the shivering creature into her arms. It was frighteningly cold. She looked around and there was nowhere else to go.The wind was growing stronger, and the light between the trees was fading.Suyuan pulled the pup beneath her cloak and sat beside the fallen wolf, using the animal's body as a barrier against the wind. She tucked the little creature against her chest and curled herself around it. "Just for tonight," she whispered.
Her eyelids grew heavier,She knew people would be searching for her.At least, she hoped they were.But as the mountain became darker and colder, Suyuan could no longer hear the distant sounds of the palace so she simply held the trembling pup closer and waited for morning. Far above her, two riders were still searching.
Tarkan called her name until his voice became hoarse while Khasar searched every trail he could find, his expression growing darker with every passing hour. At the palace gates, Ayao finally arrived breathless, desperately begging the guards to let her see the Khan but her pleading was denied, no one care only Ayao was left crying.
作者有话说
第13章 第 13 章
