Only just a dream

 "So it's you," the guard Fu put Qing on the spot as soon as she showed up with Cheng at Milo's.

Qing only frowned. She couldn't even look Fu in the eye. It frightened her and Ching put his arm around her as if he'd protect her, somehow.

"Wait a minute," Cheng gave him the eye. "She didn't know this would even happen."

"What are you telling me!" Fu's voice was like thunder. "She has no control over herself?" He winced hard and pushed Cheng away from Qing as he had a good look at her.

"You're just as I remembered," it was as if he wanted Qing to contact the girl he'd known as a youngster.

Qing winced. "I don't know anything," she wailed. "Why were  you even thinking of her?"

"I think of Mai all the time," Fu looked hurt that Qing would even mention it. "You think I'm having any fun being a slave to the morons?" 

Fu told them the only reason he was there was to protect the master that Milo spoke so highly of.  "They always pressure him, expecting miracles. You don't know how many have tried to kill him." 

Fu began to pace as if he had no business even coming here. He needed to get back.

"Her name is Mai, you say?" Qing felt she really needed to put a face on the name. 

Fu nodded. "We met on the prairie. She grew up on the border but she was from the north. Her people are the wolf pack, but most of her life she spent  it with bandits and thieves." Fu was even lipped. "You wouldn't think that if you knew her. She was like a bright star. Her smile was cheerful. No matter what."

Qing nodded. Fu sighed as he geared up to leave. He put his hand on his sword as if he would dance his way back in a fight to the Beggar's Sect. "Don't come around anymore," he told them and swiftly left by the top of the roof.

Do you have the time

 "How do you know me?" He said, and Milo wasn't sure what he should answer as he looked at the stranger.

"What do you mean?"

"I know you've been watching me," he said he was there to protect someone at the Beggar's Sect. They'd been there since his youth. "But we have always been outsiders."

"How so?" Milo's eyes lit as if he couldn't help to think of the young doctor he'd helped once when he was small. He'd always known of him as barely a man himself. Quite youthful as Milo  recalled. But he had to be old now. Still, this stranger looked as if he must have been of his tribe, from the border where they knew horses and were taller than many Milo knew of.

"I know I shouldn't be here," it was kind of funny to think the guard might be worried. Milo only smiled back.

"I knew of a master quite good with what he forged in the forest. Could it be the same person?"

"You have something I want to," the stranger swelled a frown.

"Oh, really?" Milo couldn't help but smile. "Like what?"

"It's a person," the guard told him. Milo nodded.

"Who is she to you?"

"Someone, I have not seen in forever," the guard clutched his sword. Milo sighed.

"Who are you?"

"Fu."

"Really?" Milo grinned. He couldn't quite believe him.

"Well, that's what they call me anyway," Fu sighed. "I can't even remember my real name, but I know her and I can't forget her." He'd been indentured that long.

Milo nodded. 

"I don't want to deceive you, but can you at least tell me who you're protecting?" Milo thought he might know, but he couldn't be sure. He hoped it was the master of medicines.

"What do you mean?" Oh, he had a smart mouth. He looked too young to be just a guard. But his robe was a royal blue and he looked to know what he was doing.

"I'm just looking for an old friend," Milo said he hadn't seen him in ages. Milo was a youngster when he knew him. But he'd heard about how the Beggars weren't really made up of beggars anymore. "Is that true?"

"They needed backing," Fu said. "It might look artificial...but they haven't let go of everyone."

Milo invited him for tea then and ChaCha did her best to remain the orphan girl she was. Setting out the hot tea for Milo to pour.

"We mean you no harm, I'm sorry we have had a testy group at your door," Milo tucked the big sleeve of his silk robe and poured the tea for the stranger named Fu.

"I gathered that, really they are quite foolish, what do those two mean to achieve," Fu was dead serious. It only made Milo chuckle.

"Just youngsters at play," Milo finally sighed about Qing and Ching.

"But she looks so much like the girl I loved growing up," Fu said as he sipped the steaming tea.

"So that's it," Milo was even-lipped.

"She was taken away by the Wolf pack," Fu told him.

"The wolf pack?" Milo winced. He didn't want to hear of that barbaric group.

"I'm sure she's long gone, but the imposter made me remember my days with her," Fu looked quite sad.

"Sorry, my friend," Milo wasn't certain they would ever be friends, "But what can you tell me about the doctor?

To begin again

I have neglected this story for quite a while. I have a hard time creating a set for this Wuxia story. Still, I  have had great fun on this journey. Hopefully, I will keep this story going. Even if I  have great lapses..perhaps giving my characters more time to cultivate..hehehehee...Yet, you won't find any great deities..just semi-devils, shapeshifters, ghosts and a demi-god or two.

 ChaCha's patience was wearing thin. How much longer were they going to be here.

"What's wrong with you?" Milo smirked about the matter. "I thought you hated traveling?"

Oh, he'd made do being at the village. He was good with the commoners. He'd worked plenty with metal and knew his way around horseshoeing and the like. Yes, he'd settled. She supposed. 

She envied him some. She pressed her lips silently, what could she say.

"It was the Beggars Sect you had your mind set on. Remember?" She looked him in the eye. Had he forgotten about that certain someone?

"Well, if he's there, he wouldn't know, now would he?" He reminded her too, this time here gave her plenty to do finding the medicinal plants to dry, to study, to organize. It was a good time to cultivate her mind. She would be worthy to those who needed her someday. Perhaps, it was a long way from being a princess, but wasn't she better off?

ChaCha couldn't help but frown. That was another life, but there was a loss she couldn't quite get rid of, even now. What had become of her? It made her chest weak with sadness.

"Now come on," he drew her in as if he needed her. After all, hadn't they committed to each other out in the woods. They were one now. They were like any other out there in the world. Just taking one day at a time.

She coughed back and looked him in the eye, "But what's next?"

"Well, let's send Qing in. She could be the key to getting into the sect," he said he hated the thought they were just bandits now up to no good. Perhaps his old friend was a captive there. "She'll have Cheng by her side. He wouldn't let anything harm her."

Just then a knock came to their humble home far from the pavilions and the city. To their surprise, it was someone from the Beggar's Sect.