《Red Scarf》 Prologue ¡°Why is everyone wearing a skirt?¡± A young girl asked innocently to her companion. The man who was helping in unloading their baggage from the coach almost drops his suit case. The other passengers snickered. There was something refreshing when someone pointed out the obvious especially if that someone was a small innocent child. The people¡¯s reaction in the town was different from the passengers though. The women just went, ¡°Awww¡­ How adorable!¡± While the men gave ¡°Kids say the darndest things!¡± look. All of them thought of the same reply to the girl which her companion immediately voiced out. ¡°That¡¯s not a skirt, lassie. That¡¯s a kilt.¡± The other men around them mentally nodded their heads in agreement. The young girl looks at her surroundings once more. They had stopped the coach near an inn so she could see different kinds of people entering and exiting the inn. There were also shops and a bakery. The women wore beautiful dresses, some she had seen in the city. Some men wore trousers like the other passengers but some men wore knee-length skirts. She could see their calves especially since she was small. Though she liked this place better than the city she thought of. The city was dirty and stinky and it rained a lot. It rained here too as confirmed by the mud on her boots but at least the air smelled far better than the city. And the men wore more interesting clothes too. ¡°Aren¡¯t they cold Uncle Morgan? Their skirts look too short.¡± The people in their surroundings waited in anticipation for ¡®Uncle Morgan¡¯s¡¯ reaction. This is the town between England and the Lowlands, some consider it as a border town. So people here are used to travelers who have seen a kilt for the first time or how the English women wore bulkier gowns compared to the Scotswomen. Rarely do they blurt it out loud like this child though. They would usually tactfully ask in a shop or in the tavern. ¡°Well, you see lassie, the Scots are made out of hard stuff. They can stand bare in a storm and snow and they wouldn¡¯t feel a thing! Why, we have been known to hunt in bare as a test of manhood!¡± He said offhandedly. The child¡¯s eyes grew wide under her long bangs. The people around them rolled their eyes in exasperation. Even a child would not believe such a lie. ¡°T-that¡¯s amazing!¡± The child said breathlessly, ¡°as expected from your countrymen Uncle Morgan.¡± The townspeople simultaneously looked at the child with their jaws drop in disbelief. Morgan had a grin on his face. ¡°That¡¯s almost as amazing as the Englishmen who can swim the sea while battling sharks and whales.¡± Hey! What kind of lies have you been teaching that child? They all thought. One particular Scot elderly woman who overheard the conversation could not restrain herself. She gave Morgan a reproachful look while the middle-aged man shrugged. The elderly woman bent on her knees in front the child and tried to fix her tangled black hair that covered most of her face. ¡°Lass, you should not always believe what others tell you, especially if it is such nonsen-Oh my!¡± The woman exclaimed. The elderly woman got a good look at the child¡¯s face. She had never seen such features before; a small round shallow face with white skin and a small nose. But most of all her eyes, they were slanted, small but her pupils were dark and they held a shadow of sadness, like she had seen too much already.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She jumped when she felt a hand against her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I need this lassie¡¯s help.¡± Morgan said. The woman stood and held her hand against her mouth. ¡°Why, I have never seen someone like her before.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because she came from another country far from here; towards the east actually.¡± Morgan ruffled the child¡¯s hair as she giggled. ¡°Oh my! Oh my! How wonderful! You must tell me of your travels.¡± The woman said excitedly. Morgan raised one of his brows. There were people like this. People who were interested whenever they hear about the east, the exotic orient. Of course there were some who harbored extreme dislike also. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we will not be staying here for too long. We need to get to the highlands before the winter starts.¡± ¡°You may stay in my home tonight. I insist. This lassie needs to rest and a warm meal. You may repay me by telling me of your travels.¡± She said with a twinkle in her eyes. Morgan could just laugh at the persistence of the elderly woman. Nobody would say no to a free meal and board. And looking at the quality of the elderly women¡¯s clothes, they must have hit the jackpot. ¡°Mr. Morgan, we really could use your help.¡± Several grunts could be heard at the back of the coach. ¡°I will leave one of my servants here to guide you to my house.¡± She nodded to the woman on her left. The servant girl curtsied with an ¡°Aye, madam.¡± Morgan bowed and watched the elderly woman leave. ¡°Mr. Morgan, what in the name of saints is this thing?¡± ¡°Come on, lassie.¡± He grabbed the hand of the small child. They went to the back of the coach and saw two boys, brothers probably, age 15 or 16, in the coach carrying each end of a 5 foot length long item wrap in layers of cloth. Beads of sweat had formed in their temples. ¡°You can just throw it in the ground, laddies.¡± The two swung the item side to side then let go with an ¡°ooof!¡±. The item didn¡¯t even bounce of the ground instead landed with a solid sound of THUD. The two boys got off the coach and collapsed on the ground. They were tired but they also felt lightheaded. Like when they secretly got themselves drunk from the ale that they stole from the tavern. The young girl quickly moved towards the item. She grabbed the leather and held the item that was 3 feet taller than her in her chest and ran towards Morgan. The boys jaw dropped. The way she was embracing, it was like how a child would hold her doll. It looked like it was light as one too. But the feeling of numbness in their arms and the sweats on their brow reminded them that it was something that two adolescent boys could barely lift and not something a small child could carry alone. Morgan threw a coin to one of the boys. He reflexively caught it. When he looked at the coin his eyes became as round as saucers. It was a whole pound. The other boy took a look at it and his eyes became the same. Morgan went to them and closed the hands holding the coin. The boys look at him with a dumbfounded look. He spoke in a whisper, ¡°Remember laddies, not a word to the others about what happened here.¡± The boys nodded vigorously. This money was more than enough for their family to survive the winter. Of course, they would do anything to keep it. Morgan ruffled the heads of the two boys. He placed a satchel around his shoulders then carried two suitcases on both hands. The girl was holding the leather bound item with ease as they walk towards the servant girl. The girl gestured them to follow her. The little girl felt so excited. Uncle Morgan had told her that they were only a few weeks away from their destination. That was only a few more weeks before their journey ends. ¡°What kind of person is he Uncle Morgan?¡± A small voice came from the girl beside him. Morgan looked at the child carrying something so big for her size. ¡°My nephew?¡± She nodded. ¡°Hmmm¡­ Let¡¯s see, I guess he¡¯s the type that likes to take care of people.¡± The girl gave her a questioning look. Morgan just shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I guess. You should wait until you meet him lassie. You remind me a little of him so I am sure you would get along with him just fine.¡± The girl gave him a bright smile. He wanted to ruffle her hair but he was carrying their luggage with both hands so he just smiled at her. ¡°I hope he¡¯s not wearing a skirt.¡± The girl said with a serious look in her face. Morgan laughed out loud Chapter 1- An Eventful Day Continuous sounds echoed throughout the forest. Whack! Whack! Whack! It was the sound of someone chopping wood. From the hundreds of trees, one was already in the ground busily being hacked by a young man. He had removed his shirt and the sweat glistened on his broad back. His red hair at the nape of his neck was already wet but he did not stop. He needed to carry a part of the tree trunk home before it got dark. The last time he had decided to chop the wood here in the forest and carried it as a pile earned him an encounter with the wolves. With a last swing of his arms he successfully separated a region of the trunk. He let go his axe and stretched his back. He wiped the sweat from his face and took the tunic he laid down on one of the bushes and wore it. He would come tomorrow to pick up the rest of the trunk. He wrapped the trunk with rope, not forgetting to include his axe too. And with a swing it lay at his back as he began trudging back home. They were other people in the forest. Hunters and woodcutters like him but they ignored him. Some even gave him disdainful looks. Gavin was used to it and didn''t let it bother him. When he saw his house he heaved a sigh of relief. With an ample amount of time left, he could cook dinner, a rabbit he caught earlier, and weed the small garden he made at the back of his cottage. All before the sun sets. Then he noticed the door was ajar. Gavin frowned. It was not as if there were some valuables in his home but he always made sure to close the door before he left. Then he heard a horse¡¯s neigh and saw a chestnut colored horse tied to the woodshed. Gavin slowly lowered the tree trunk from his back to the ground. Careful so that it would not make a sound. He then grabbed his axe and move towards the door. This was not the first time someone got inside his house. Sometimes it was just some travelers that needed a place to stay the night but sometimes they were people from the village. And that was the kind of situation when he needed to protect himself. He gripped his axe as he took a deep breath. He pushed the door slightly and it swung opened with a creak. As he stepped inside he noticed the stranger inside. It was hard to miss him. It was small house with only 3 furnishing; a bed, 2 stools and a table. And that stranger was sitting on one of the stools. The man had brown hair and instead looking guilty at entering someone else¡¯s home, the man looked quite relaxed. He was even rubbing his bushy beard with his thumb and finger while he looked at Gavin thoughtfully. Gavin knitted his brows, "Who are-" "I see you have grown to a fine young man, lad" The man interrupted. "Aye, you were tall for your age but look at you now! Why, you look like you can wrestle a bear and win!" The man gave a hearty laugh that echoed throughout the small house. Gavin''s eyes became ad round as saucers. He knew this laugh, that infectious laugh. "Uncle Morgan?" The man stood and spread his arms. "Come here lad and give your uncle a hug." Gavin dropped the axe and immediately went to hug his uncle. It has been a long time, a really long time, since he had experience an affectionate hug. He could feel moisture gathering in his eyes as his uncle embraced him back. "Unbelievable! You were only up to my shoulder when I left and now you''re even taller than me! How old are you now? Twenty right? I guessed it correctly, right?" Gavin let out a laugh as he let go his uncle. The last time they saw each other was four years ago. He left a little bit after his mother died. He was all alone in these last four years and now his uncle finally came back. "We should celebrate!" Morgan announced. "I have souvenirs for you and I even brought wine!¡±." "Calm down Uncle Morgan," Gavin shook his head in helplessness. He was glad his uncle was still the same. His mother had often compared him to a storm. Quick to arrive and quick to leave but leaving all those involved confused and wondering what happened. "We have a lot of time uncle. It''s not like you have to leave imme-" Guuur. . . guuur. . . Gavin swiftly stopped his sentence. He picked up his axe and stood in front of his uncle. He recognized that sound. It was the growl of a wolf. He remembered it from the time he encountered them in the forest. He prepared himself as he faced the source of the noise and was startled instead. The noise came from his bed. No, that was not what was surprising. On top of his bed laid a small child. It was a girl by observing the dress she was wearing but he couldn¡¯t see her face because of her messy black that covered it. She was holding her stomach. The noise once again resounded in the room. The small hands squeezed her stomach tighter. "Oh, are you hungry, lass?-" "Uncle?" "You will have to wait. Dinner isn¡¯t prepared-" "Uncle Morgan?" "-yet. We still have that bread-" "Damn it! Uncle Morgan, please tell me who is that?" Gavin could not keep the annoyance from entering his voice. His uncle didn¡¯t seem willing to explain about this child. Is this also a souvenir? "Gavin," Morgan said in a scolding voice. "Do not curse in front of the child." Morgan suddenly felt a feeling of helplessness and frustration he hasn¡¯t experience since four years ago. "Uncle just please answer me." Morgan paused for a minute before answering. "My daughter?" "Why are you asking me?" Gavin sighed. It was a long time already so he had momentarily forgotten but his uncle has always been like this. He loved and looked up to him. But he was the type that moved at his own pace, often ignoring other people''s opinions and circumstances. When Morgan was just a boy he suddenly left their home only to come back a year later and then disappeared after 10 months. His whole life he only saw his uncle five times. He was always in the move disappearing then coming back with strange souvenirs. "Uncle you have only gone for four years. It¡¯s impossible for you to have a child this old." "She''s my long lost daughter?" Gavin only raised an eyebrow in reply. "Fine I admit it." Morgan said as he heave a long sighed. "She''s not my daughter." "I didn¡¯t believe for a second that she was your daughter uncle." Gavin replied with a dead pan expression. "Ack! That expression! You really take after your mother." Morgan exclaimed but there was a hint of gentleness in his voice when he mentioned his sister. Then he changed his tone of voice to a whining tone like a petulant child. "It''s just that I was afraid that you wouldn¡¯t keep her if she''s not blood related to us. You have always been shy with strangers and I already promised the lass you would take care of her." "Uncle please," Gavin felt an incoming headache. "Don¡¯t say ¡®keep¡¯ as if she''s a puppy. She''s not a pet or- ooof! Gavin felt someone tackle his side. There was no pain at all and he didn¡¯t lose his balance. He was just surprised at the sudden action. So small. He looked at the girl who was holding his leg while looking up to him. He still couldn¡¯t see her face but he could feel the idolization in her eyes. And when she spoke he felt the adoration in her voice. "Gege, you''re going to be my gege right?" "What?" Gavin was stunned. "What''s a gege? Some kind of caretaker?" "Gege is a gege. I have wanted a gege for a longtime." She said. Under that messy hair he could see a glimpse of white teeth as she smiled. You wanted a caretaker? I know I chose to be isolated from others but is this some kind of popular game with the other people right now? "First, let go of my leg." Gavin said as he removed the arms of the young girl from his leg. He noticed how small and thin she was. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was eating well. The little girl let Gavin removed her arms while still looking at him. Gavin could practically see excitement coming from every pore of her body. He couldn''t understand why she was so excited. Though her actions seem to remind him of something but he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "Next is this hair," Gavin said as he squat to the floor making his line of sight the same with the girl. He began to brush her hair to the side with his fingers. White soft skin was exposed. A straight nose. Pink lips and small slanted eyes like a- "SNAKE!" Gavin screamed as he fell on butt in surprise. The fear made his legs lose its strength but he still tried to crawl away with all his might away from the girl. The girl just looked confused. She glanced to her left and right as if looking for something. "Uncle Morgan!" Gavin shouted his uncle''s name as he sticks his back to the wall, looking around the room while avoiding looking at the young girl. But Morgan wasn¡¯t in the room. He was about to call out for his uncle again when he heard the whinny of a horse. "What?" Gavin was stunned for a moment before he realized that the sound didn¡¯t come from the shed but a bit further. Don''t tell me... He ran to the door momentarily forgetting his fear. Right about now, there was something more important than a childhood trauma that he kept secret for years. Exiting the door he immediately looked at the woodshed where the horse was tied previously. It wasn''t there anymore. He scanned the surrounding and saw, a distance away from the cottage, the horse with his uncle riding it. When Morgan noticed that Gavin finally came out of the house he immediately started speaking. Morgan was practically shouting but his voice could be barely heard because of the distance. "Gavin, lad, I¡¯ll leave the little lass in your care. I still have something I need to do." He said then waved his hand in goodbye. He then turned the horse with a pull of the reigns and galloped away not even looking back once. "Nooo!" Gavin screamed as he ran toward his uncle. "Don''t go!" Gavin ran and ran as he kept shouting his voice cracking, tears falling down his cheeks. ¡°Uncle, come back! Please uncle!" He stumbled and his whole body crashed to the ground. He stood up but it was already too late, the horse and his uncle were no longer in sight. He slammed his fist on the ground in frustration again and again. "Why? Why did you come back only to leave again! What''s the point of returning then? Who do you think me for? Aren¡¯t I your only relative left?" Gavin cried in frustration. He wanted to say "if you were going to leave don''t come!" but he couldn''t say it. He felt that if would say it, his uncle will never come back. "Gege?" A soft voice caught his attention. The young girl had followed him and was a few meters away from him. Her hair covered her face again but he could see a glimpse of her worried filled eyes from a slit between her hairs. Right about now, he was experiencing a myriad of emotions, anger, frustration, disappointment, longing, loneliness. He was too emotionally exhausted and didn''t care about the young girl¡¯s eyes likeness to snakes. He stood up and passed by the young girl, ignoring her. The child just followed him, matching his large steps with her small quick steps. He felt drained. He just wanted to lie down on his bed and sleep. He ignored the mess he left in front of his cottage. He went to his bed and saw a variety of items on top of it. A satchel, a bottle of wine, a map and a large rectangular item wrap in leather leaning at the edge of the bed. He removed the items on top just letting it drop to the floor with a swipe of his hand. The bottle of wine rolled a few times in the ground. He then grabbed the leather bound item, intending to throw it to the other side of the room but... "Oh?" He gasped. Surprising this item was very heavy. He didn¡¯t want to brag, he was quite strong. He had wide shoulders, large arms, sturdy legs and a tightly muscled stomach. And yet he could only lift it when using both of his arms. He stared at it for a few seconds before deciding to unwrapped the leather. I wonder what this is? In this moment, Gavin momentarily forgot what happened to his uncle. He couldn''t explain it but he wanted to see what was this object was. It was heavier than it looked. His whole mind was occupied with this thought. With a twist and a tug, the folds of leather fell to the ground. "A sword?" Gavin exclaimed in surprise. It was a large sword, longer and wider than any sword he had ever seen. Maybe because of its size it didn¡¯t have a sheath. The design was simple. A handle long enough to fit two hands wrap in leather. The blade was almost a foot wide with a single sharpened edge. In the middle part of the blade, tied with cloth, was another sword but this time it had a sheath. Its sheath was polished black wood with patterns on it. The handle was wrapping in finely braided leather. "Isn¡¯t it needlessly large?" Gavin asked to no one in particular. He wrapped his fingers on the hilt intending to try swinging it around if he could. He suddenly felt dizzy. His surrounding seemed to blur and he could hear whispers echoing in his head. "Why are they doing this? It¡¯s not my fault? "I hate them! I hate them! I hate them!" "Please, no more, don''t hit me anymore! It hurts!" ¡°I want to kill them! Make them suffer." "Please help my mother. Please help her!" "Cut of their legs, slash of their arms, behead them!" "NOOOOOO!" From his hazy mind a screamed echoed and then he felt a sudden pain in his right hand. He let go of the sword, startled, his vision clearing. He took a few steps back and looked at his hand. There was a distinct mark just above his wrist. It looked like someone sank his teeth on it. "What? When?" He look at it the bite mark confuse, he couldn''t remember what happened. He looked to the front and saw the young girl with messy hair She was standing in front of him with her arms to her sides. He couldn''t see her facial expression but he could feel that she was quite shaken with happened. Her chest was heaving. "I''m sorry gege. You almost got controlled." The young girl said in an apologetic voice. "What in the he- what happened to me?" Gavin couldn¡¯t help himself from shouting. He felt cold sweat at his back. "All I remember are voices and my vision being murky." The girl was silent. When she finally spoke he heard determination in her voice. "Gege just please don''t touch this sword again." Gavin frowned. "That isn''t an explanation at all!" He felt frustrated and truthfully, frightened. It wasn¡¯t just because of the voices and his vision blurring but because of the emotions he felt at that time. If he would have to sum it up, it was violence in its purest form. He felt like wanted to tear everything apart, he wanted revenge, he wanted to kill, he wanted to go wild, to swing his sword at anyone he sees. "Gege-" "Stop saying gege! My name is Gavin!" "But gege-" "What does gege mean? A nickname, a code, a title, what?" He screamed. He knew that he was straying from the topic but he didn''t care. So many things happened in just a span of minutes, his uncle arriving, a child appearing, his uncle leaving and now a strange sword. Even if you summed up all the memorable things that happened in the last four years, it wasn''t as eventful as today. "Gege... is a gege" "That isn''t an answer!" He was frustrated. He knew he was being a jerk for raising his voice at a child but he was too confused to care. "What? Don''t tell me you can speak this language but you can''t translate that gege word for me to understand?" "Gege is- a gege is-" the young girl said while holding her head with both of his hands. Her voice was trembling. "Because gege is gege... that is why... he is a gege. Because... he is a gege that is why gege... is gege." "What the he- what is with that?" Gavin felt his whole strength leaving his body. The absurdity of that explanation calmed down his panic and anger. He slipped to the floor sat in a fetal position. His head buried on top of his arms that rested on top of his knees. "Gege?" A voice worriedly sounded. Her voice was a lot closer than before. "Don¡¯t come near." Gavin snapped. "I still don¡¯t like you. I hate snakes. They slither and make weird noises." The child was silent and Gavin could hear the rustling of clothes. He took a peek from his arms and saw the young girl was sitting on the floor at least two meters away from him. The young girl kept glancing at left to right, as if looking for something. Gavin could not help but be amused. "I was talking about you, you know." The girl stopped her actions and looked at him. She tilted her head to the side as if not understanding what he said. He was really reminded of something from her gestures but he couldn¡¯t remember what it was. "Snake." Gavin said as he pointed at the young girl. He wasn¡¯t really as frightened with her when her eyes were covered with her hair. He could normally talk to her as long as he didn¡¯t see her eyes. "I''m saying you''re the snake." The young girl body shook in surprise. "No! I am not a snake. I am a xiao mei." "No! No! No!" Gavin quickly denied what she said with a wave of his hand. "Your eyes are small and slanted. I could barely see your pupils. Just remembering it makes me shiver." "No! Xiao mei! I am not a snake!" The child wailed. "Gege is mean!" Gavin could not help the small smile on his face from appearing. For some reason he found himself enjoying this situation. "I am a xiao mei. Xiao mei!" Not a snake. Xiao mei!" The girl kept protesting. "Fine! You''re Xiaomei," Gavin interrupted her tantrum. He had a feeling she will keep protesting until he gives in. "But call me Gavin. I don''t know what gege means but I perfectly like my name." "Eh?" The child immediately stopped her protest. "But ge-" "I''ll call you snake if you call me gege." Gavin said he changed into a crossed leg position. There was a smirk on his face. "Eh?" "Snake or gege? Which will it be?" The girl''s shoulders droop. He could almost see the pout on her lips as she spoke. Again, he felt her gesture was familiar. Where did he see it? "G-g-gavin." Gavin nodded his head in approval. He was glad he avoided being called by a weird name. Guuur~ guuur~ A growl-like noise rumbled in the room. The girl immediately held her stomach. With all the events happening earlier Gavin actually forgot about that this child was hungry. He remembered the rabbit he dropped outside earlier. "Come on Xiaomei!" Gavin said as he stood up. "Help tidy me tidy up this room while I prepare dinner." He was about to walk towards the door when he noticed she was still sitting. He looked at her and noticed that she staring at him. He could see her jaw hanging. She must be surprised. I kept showing her embarrassing actions not fit for an adult. I actually cried. Then I reacted strong because of her eyes. I''m sorry. I''ll try to be nicer. "What?" He asked sheepishly. The girl shook her head then smiled. She stood and followed him. "Gavin, how did you catch the rabbit? Where will you skin it? Please don''t go too far away." The young girl ran around him. She was quite energetic running back and forth, encircling around him, curious about what he was doing. It was then he recalled what she reminded him of. A puppy! The way she tilted her head, the way she droop her shoulders, the way she was always on the move reminded her of the puppy he had when he was young. Her stomach also makes growling noises. Hahaha! The girl watched as Gavin leaned at the doorframe as he laughed loudly. It took a few moments before he was able to calm himself. ¡°You¡­ Have you ever tried eating a rabbit?¡± As they ate their dinner, thoughts about his uncle''s abrupt departure disappeared from his mind. He also forgot about the uncomfortable feeling the girl¡¯s eyes gave him. Even that strange sword was overlooked. All he could do was stare at the little girl in front of him as she devoured her meal. The porridge, which he thought was more than enough for one adult and child, was solely eaten by her. She even complained that the food was not tasty at all. ¡°Were you that hungry?¡± Gavin said as he gave his own serving of rabbit to the little girl. She tilted her head as she thought for a while before replying. ¡°No. It¡¯s always like these.¡± ¡°What?¡± Gavin felt a sense of dread. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you always eat this much?¡± The little girl nodded as she ate Gavin¡¯s portion. This made Gavin change his plans for the winter. He felt that if he didn¡¯t they might starve within a few weeks. Chapter 2- To the Forest (1) Sunlight slipped through the cracks of the wall rousing Gavin from his sleep. He sat up and blinked a few times before he got up. His movement was very slow as he dragged his body. Unfortunately, he was still half asleep so he didn¡¯t notice a lump of cloth on the floor. ¡°Curse the devil!¡± he screamed. He hopped with one foot as he held his other foot. The throbbing pain in his toe erased Now fully awake, Gavin looked at the source of his mishap. A small girl was rubbing her eyes awaken by the loud noise. Her hair was disheveled and covered most of her face. She was sitting at the foot of side of his bed with the blankets wrapped around her body. But what he hit wasn¡¯t her. With their difference in size, she was most likely the one who would have screamed in pain right now. No. The cause of his aching toe was something beside the girl. A certain sword wrap in leather that weight heavier than it look. He wondered how it was placed beside Xiaomei and why she was sleeping at the foot of his bed. It was dangerous as he may unintentionally step on her as what almost happened. He was sure he had placed her in a corner last night. How she got here together with that sword, he didn¡¯t know. In a few seconds she finally snapped from her drowsiness. A smile appeared beneath her messy hair as she spoke. "Ge-Gavin!" "A-aye." Gavin replied awkwardly. He walked away briskly ignoring the pain in his toes. So it wasn¡¯t a dream. Uncle Morgan came back with this child, Xiaomei. He remembered Xiaomei¡¯s eyes and couldn¡¯t stop himself from shivering. In his mind he knew it was irrational to act this way but couldn¡¯t help himself. He walked outside towards a well. He heard the rustling of clothes and small steps following him but just ignored it. Gavin pulled the rope and a bucket of water appeared from the depths of the well. He washed his face with the cold water. While he was refreshing himself he began to think of his errands for the day. He needed to chop firewood. He also needed to return to the woods to collect more for the winter. Should he bring Xiaomei with him? . He really didn¡¯t want to leave a helpless girl alone. He could feel Xiaomei waiting patiently at his side as he gargled water. She was silent the whole time even though she talked a lot the night before. He curiously glanced at her. Big mistake! Pffft! Gavin spit out the water in his mouth in surprise. Some water even went up to his nose. He felt his eyes water. He cough as he choked from the water went to the wrong pipe. "Gavin!" Xiaomei cried in alarm. Gavin just raise an arm to prevent her from coming near him. Xiaomei had a habit of following him since yesterday and he got tired of asking her to stay in one place. She was always around his feet and with his height he could see glances of her small, slanted eyes. This made him extremely nervous. Yet, the child ignored all hints, pleas and commands that ask her to stand in a corner or sit on a chair. She was quite determined to follow him like a puppy. But what was different today was she was carrying something. It was wrapped in leather so one wouldn''t be able to know what it was until they remove the cover. It was the strange sword. The sword towered over Xiaomei who was only almost half its size. "Asleep? Am I still asleep, is that it?" Gavin said out loud as he thought very hard. He then took a glance at Xiaomei just in case he just imagining it but still found the sword in Xiaomei''s arms. "D-dream, right? This is just a dream." He found it stranger that a child could lift the sword easily than a sword trying to control his mind. After all, it took both of his hands to lift it and he was quite strong. He was distracted for a moment but quickly realized the gravity of the situation. "Let that sword go! It¡¯s dangerous" Gavin rushed towards the child intending to separate the sword from her. Xiaomei, however, was surprised by Gavin''s sudden action and dodged. Gavin didn¡¯t expect this reaction. He tried to grab the sword again but still missed as Xiaomei took a step back. Panicking, Gavin did not give up, but knowing that he intended to take the sword, Xiaomei avoided him. Who knew that this little girl could be so agile? Xiaomei was quietly staring at him. For the first time he realized the disadvantage of not seeing the girl¡¯s expression. She seems to be¡­ fine? She¡¯s doesn¡¯t look as if she is losing control of herself. Gavin straighten his back. He stared at the small girl in front of him. Unlike Gavin yesterday, Xiaomei was unaffected by the cursed sword. Did it mean being mind controlled was just his imagination? He glanced at his right wrist. The mark of rows of teeth from last night was no longer there. There was no evidence that event yesterday really occurred. More importantly, is this sword lighter than it looks? Gavin was one of the stronger men in the village. Did it mean he was weaker than this child? He absolutely will not accept this fact! Gavin slowly reached out a hand to grab the sword. Xiaomei did not run away this time and just observed his actions. With all his might, Gavin attempted to raise the sword. Veins appeared in his arm but it didn¡¯t even budge. Unable to accept defeat, he then used both of his hands to take the sword away from Xiaomei but could only lift it for a few inches. Xiaomei who was watching silently the whole time suddenly let go of the sword. Gavin immediately lost his balance as he was dragged by the weight of the sword. "Whoa!" Gavin crashed to ground together with the sword. He twisted his body in the last second so that he fell to his side instead of his face. A tinkling laughter rang out. Gavin sat up holding his sore side while looking at the giggling girl. "The same..." Xiaomei was giggling in between words. "You did the same thing as Uncle Morgan." Gavin was dumbfounded for a few seconds before smiling wryly. He could imagine his ever curious uncle doing the exact thing. "But Uncle Morgan fell on his face." Xiaomei continued. "His nose bled and he had a bump on his forehead." Gavin stood up while dusting himself. Hearing about his uncle¡¯s actions calmed him down. If his uncle did the same thing but still brought the girl with him then it would be alright. Even if the sword had the ability to control other people''s minds. This thought made Gavin realized something. "Ah! Why did nothing happen this time?" "Because of the leather.¡± "Huh?" Gavin was unconvinced. "Leather? Because it¡¯s still wrap in leather?" Xiaomei nodded her head. Gavin smile thinned. So a piece of leather can protect you from losing your mind. Is that okay? Like a pot and a pot holder? Is it alright for a cursed sword to have that kind of weakness? He was afraid to know the answer but still needed to ask. In a hushed voice he spoke: "Is it an actual cursed sword?" "Yes!" Xiaomei replied happily with a bright smile. Gavin had the urge to take the sword and throw it at a cliff. If he could lift it that is! "Ah! But the other sword isn¡¯t!" Xiaomei placed the sword on the ground then unwrapped the leather coverings of the sword. "Hey! Hey!" Gavin practically screamed. "You don¡¯t have to do that! It¡¯s dangerous!" Xiaomei ignored him and took the sword that was tied to the blade of the large sword. She then offered the sword to Gavin. Gavin wanted to take a few, no, a number of steps back but couldn¡¯t because Xiaomei seems to be quite excited. He could just imagine her eyes going bright with expectation. She was like a kid showing off her treasures one after another.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "I-I don''t think this is a good..." Xiaomei''s smile began to falter, her shoulders drooping. Gavin could practically see her puppy ears folding in sadness. Gavin immediately felt bad. What kind of adult am I to make a child sad? With determination Gavin grabbed the sword. Xiaomei''s expression brightened again, her smile even wider than before. Gavin mentally nodded in satisfaction. "Oh? It''s n-normal? I expected it to be heavier." It was almost a meter long. He was expecting it to be like the large sword but there was no surprise on its weight. He didn¡¯t notice yesterday but the pattern on it sheath looked like a lizard. A rather long lizard with whiskers. He found the design really strange. He then unsheathed it and saw the blade polished so bright that he could see his reflection. Gavin was just a simple woodcutter so he wasn¡¯t familiar with swords but he had seen some of the men in the village carry one. "Isn''t it too thin? Too small?" Gavin said as he observed the sword. "It¡¯s really sharp though." "It¡¯s called the Demon slaying sword!" Xiaomei replied enthusiastically. Gavin almost drop the sword but stop himself. What kind of sword is a Demon slaying sword? It kills demons? So demons are real? So it''s a "good" sword? Well I¡¯m not feeling strange like last night. Still what kind of irresponsible adult gave Xiaomei this sword?! "Xiaomei," Gavin sheathed the sword, his hands slightly trembling. "I think it would be better if we get rid of these dangerous weapons." "Ah! But Gavin if you do that the demon sword will get lonely and hurt other people." "D-demon sword?" Gavin felt blood drain from his face. Xiaomei pointed the huge sword that was currently on the ground. "Hahaha." Gavin laughed awkwardly. Then grabbed Xiaomei and carried her towards the entrance of his house. Xiamei squealed in surprise. "Again! Again!" Xiaomei jumped around breathlessly after he dropped her to the ground. She seemed to have enjoyed being suddenly carried by Gavin. "Who? Who thought it was alright to give a little girl a cursed sword that has ominous name such as Demon sword? In the first place why a sword? Wouldn¡¯t a doll be better? Preferably one that is not cursed!" Gavin complained to no one in particular. He took a peek at the sword he left beside the well. It might be his imagination but the sword definitely looked menacing. What was he going to do? Why did his uncle let this matter continue? A jolt of electricity abruptly flowed from the thin sword in his hand. He reflexively let the sword go in surprise which Xiaomei instantly caught. "Don''t worry Gavin!" Xiaomei smiled as she held the sword with both hands. The sword was smaller than the sword left outside but it still looked too big in Xiaomei''s hands. "As long as the Demon slaying sword and I are here, I will protect you from the Demon sword!" Gavin didn''t know where her confidence was coming from. As far as he was concerned there was also something strange with the so called Demon slaying sword as well. Apart from its name, of course! He had a lot of questions and his only source of information was a child. Based from his past conversations with Xiaomei and how she seems to regard owning cursed swords as normal, he wasn¡¯t sure she would be able to answer his questions satisfactorily. Still, he tried to ask her. "Xiaomei please tell me what exactly is the demon sword?" "Uhmmm¡­ the demon sword is a¡­ a¡­ sword!" "I mean why is it called a demon sword?¡± "Because, it¡¯s the partner of the Demon slaying sword!" "W-what do you mean ¡®partner¡¯?" "Because the Demon sword is called the Demon sword so the Demon slaying sword is the Demon slaying sword!" Gavin stared at Xiaomei in silence. He wasn¡¯t expecting much but this was worse than he thought. On the other hand, the little girl looked quite proud of herself. ¡°You weren¡¯t even able to give a single decent answer, you know!¡± he wanted to scream but didn¡¯t. Even he understood that it would be useless to lose his cool because of a child that didn¡¯t know any better. He couldn¡¯t decide what was could be the possible cause for Xiaomei¡¯s answers. It was either due to her lack of mastery in the language or she just had no idea what the swords really were. Could she actually be an airhead? Gavin massaged his temple with his thumb and forefinger. He felt his head aching. He knew it wasn¡¯t good to rely for information from Xioamei but he didn¡¯t have any other choice. He was no expert but owning something curse was definitely bad news. Xiaomei was gazing at him with eyes full of anticipation. It was quite obvious that she was enjoying how Gavin was interested about the swords. Gavin felt the pressure of those eyes full of expectations. Wait? Eyes? "Whoa!" Gavin took a step backward and found his back against the wall. He was so preoccupied with investigating about the swords that he failed to notice that Xiaomei''s long fringes parted, exposing her slanted eyes. Seeing his actions, Xiaomei tilted he head in question. ¡°Y-your hair! Your hair!¡± Gavin screamed desperately with eyes close, cold sweat pouring in his back.. ¡°Ah!¡± The girl quickly messed up her making sure her long hair covered her face. She then announced ¡°done!¡± happily. Gavin slowly opened his eyes and took a peak if Xiaomei¡¯s eyes were covered. He gave a sighed of relief and stopped himself from being one with the wall. He was glad she was quite cooperative. He wouldn¡¯t know what to do if she decided to play a prank on him. While he was calming himself down Xiaomei had already picked up the thin sword and ran outside. ¡°Wait! Xiaomei!¡± It was too late. The little girl was already handling the two swords. He was a little surprised how fast Xiaomei moved. One moment she passed the door and the next she was already holding the larger sword. The distance was at least ten meters. Gavin shook his head. ¡°I guess I¡¯m really more shaken than I thought.¡± Again he couldn¡¯t believe as she saw Xiaomei just lift the sword nonchalantly as she tied the demon slaying sword to the demon sword. ¡°Nothing is really happening.¡± He murmured quietly as he compared his reaction from yesterday with Xiaomei now. He was sure if she hadn¡¯t intervened he would have lost his mind and killed any living person in sight. Yet, nothing was happening to Xiaomei. She also was not having any troubles in carrying the large sword. It was really¡­ surreal. ¡°M-maybe I was just overreacting yesterday?¡± Gavin murmured to himself as he squatted beside Xiaomei. She was expertly tying the cloth then proceeded to wrap it in leather. She looked like she had done this dozen of times already. Guuur~ guuur~ A familiar growling sound reached Gavin¡¯s ears. Xiaomei raised her head and stared at Gavin. Gavin could just imagine the puppy dog eyes under her fringes. ¡°S-shall we eat first?¡± Xiaomei smiled and nodded. She trotted behind Gavin as he began to prepare for breakfast. He couldn¡¯t help but give a long sighed as he took a glance at the little girl who carried a sword that was taller than her. Patience. We are going to live together from now on. As long as she is safe then there is no need to separate the sword from her, at least for now. I can investigate about these frightening swords slowly. The breakfast was barley porridge which they shared. Xiaomei quickly finish her portion and yet, her stomach continued to sound. She looked at the remaining porridge Gavin was eating while drooling. Not able to stand her stare he gave his remaining meals to her. ¡°I really need to go to the village as soon as possible. I need to trade for beans and more blankets.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Xiaomei replied in a small voice. Gavin smiled as her shoulders droop. Even without looking at her facial expression, her body language was quite animated. You could clearly see her emotions. ¡°What are you saying sorry for? Let me tell you this, you¡¯re too small for a twelve year old. You need to eat a lot to become stron- tall like me!¡± ¡°Yes Gavin! I want to be as big and strong like you!¡± ¡°There is no need for you to be any stronger! Focus on becoming taller!¡± Gavin didn¡¯t know what would happen if she becomes any stronger than now. His self-confidence takes a hit every time he sees her carrying those swords. ¡°I need to go to the forest first today but I¡¯ll go to the village when I come back.¡± Gavin didn¡¯t like visiting the village. He was not welcome there so he never went unless needed. If he didn¡¯t need to buy food and repair his axe, he would rather spend his time home or in the forest. But he was worried the prices of the commodities would become more expensive now that winter is just around the corner. He wasn¡¯t even sure if there are still stocks left. There were rather deep in the highlands. The merchants rarely risk travelling this far too trade in the middle of the winter. If he wanted to buy anything then he needed to do it as soon as possible. Xiaomei¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Can I come with you Gavin?¡± Gavin was confused for a moment. He spoke slowly. ¡°The village or the forests?¡± ¡°Both!¡± ¡°I was thinking on bringing you with me. It would be better if I keep my eyes on you.¡± Gavin glanced at the huge sword that was lying on the floor. ¡°But the forests is a dangerous place so be sure not to stray away from me.¡± ¡°Yes Gavin!¡± Gavin smiled wryly. It was times like these he really couldn¡¯t help but think that this child was quite cute. He was planning to chop some firewood but considering Xiaomei was coming with him he decided to leave earlier. He was looking forward on going to the forest with her. At least there, he didn¡¯t have to worry about meeting other people and getting into trouble. As long as they follow the pathway nothing could go wrong. ¡°No!¡± ¡°But-¡° ¡°I said no!¡± ¡°But Gavin-¡° ¡°I said you can¡¯t bring those swords with you.¡± Xiaomei hugged even more tightly the huge sword wrapped in leather. Gavin felt his headache coming back. ¡°But I made a promise!¡± Xiaomei replied resolutely. ¡°I will always keep them beside me wherever I go.¡± Gavin felt his heart skipped faster. He couldn¡¯t helped but think that this maybe a chance to uncover one of the mysteries of the sword. ¡°Promise? To who?¡± ¡°To the Demon sword and the Demon slaying sword.¡± Gavin felt all his excitement go the drain. Well, I sort of expected that it will be another useless information though. He used his gentlest voice as he spoke to Xiaomei. ¡°Xiaomei I¡¯m saying it for your sake. You will get tired carrying these swords the whole time.¡± Xiaomei shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m going to be fine. Since a long time ago, I was already carrying the swords. I won¡¯t get tired!¡± Gavin sighed. Of all the children in the world, his uncle had to pick the most eccentric one of them all. He was sure that Xioamei is the only child, no, the only person who would be carrying a cursed sword that is twice her size. Still he had no plan backing down in this argument. He was ignorant in how the world works but he was pretty sure carrying cursed swords while doing an errand was not normal. ¡°If you are afraid that someone will steal the swords, you don¡¯t have to worry. There are only a few men in the village who are as strong as me.¡± Xiaomei shook her head as she hugged the sword even more closely. Her small hands grabbed the leather cloth tightly. She was no longer looking at Gavin but was staring at the ground. She didn¡¯t speak anymore instead kept shaking her head in denial. Gavin saw the non-existent puppy dog ears drooping in sadness and the imaginary tail no longer wagging happily. He was going to lose this argument. No doubt about it.