The Story of Dusk 286 HIKARI'S WEDDING DAY

And for Wang Yu, Elder Dam had sent him ahead of time to his post with a reason he needed longer time to be with Senja and re- arranged the protection around the mansion.

The old man also not allowed for Senja to leave the mansion as she wish, except if there was something important that she needed to do, for that, he required at least five shadow guard to come with her. Elder Dam was simply being overprotective over his granddaughter.

On the other side, Senja didn't have any objection about her grandfather arrangement as she knew better that she could get away from this mansion as she wish with Gong Xu who would protected her.

As for Carye and her daughters, Senja had not seen them since they were being released by Grandfather, probably waiting for the moment when Elder Dam was away before they could vent out their frustration like before.

However, Senja wasn't sure that she could be as cruel as before, because all the guards and the servants were Elder Dam's people, they would talk the moment Carye did something toward her. Moreover, Elder Dam made sure that everyone knew about this.

"I told you right? this is a good thing that you return."

Suddenly Gong Xu appeared from the other side of the door of the secret room, he looked exhausted and there was trace of blood on the front of his robe.

Senja was enjoying her book when he appeared.

Since her grandfather had returned to the northern fortress two days ago, she had been spending longer time inside the library. People would see her as a girl who loved to read, but for Senja, it wasn't necessary to read something, because her intention to come to this library was to meet Gong Xu.

Now the secret room had became Gong Xu's personal room. This place much tidier and cleaner compared to when Senja still occupied this place.

"Hmm…" Senja nodded in agreement as she bit down her apple. "I have never lived this peaceful before this time… where have you been?"

"Take cares some matter." Gong Xu took off his bloody robe and tossed it aside.

At first Senja would make a fuss over that blood, but after some time she learnt that the blood wasn't his, probably his opponent. Maybe he killed someone?

But, to think about this again, that fact didn't bother her. People killed each other, even her father wanted to kill her, so as long as the person who she knew was fine, she didn't care about the other.

"Have you found the heirloom of the Shadow Guard?" Gong Xu asked as he changed his upper clothes. He didn't mind to change in front of Senja as he thought of her as a little girl no more.

Senja shook her head tiredly. "No…" She lay down on the pile of blanket that served as bed for Gong Xu. "When grandfather was here, he didn't want to tell either about this thing, he said it wasn't the right time for me to know about that."

Gong Xu had told her about the history of The shadow Guard from The Black Sword Clan and its heirloom.

It was something precious as it held unimaginable power that Wang Yu desired.

"Hmm…" Gong Xu gave some thought about it as he sat down beside Senja. "Don't you know another secret room in this mansion? Except this one?"

If there was one secret room, than probably there was another, right?

"I don't know." Senja threw the core of the apple to the corner of the room, her action wasn't like a lady, this was a different behavior that she showed to the people out of this room.

From other people point of view, the young miss Senja was a softhearted little girl, who didn't like to talk much and very easy to please as she had never asked something weird or threw tantrum on her maidservants, not like her other step sisters.

However, Senja now, who was in front of Gong Xu was a careless little girl and filled with passion to go out of the mansion every time Gong Xu mention he has something to do outside.

However every time also Gong Xu would never bring her, because it was too dangerous for her as he often came back with blood stained his clothes.

"I don't even know if this room is existed before Uncle Ye Xiu told me." Senja contemplated the moment when Uncle Ye Xiu told her about this room, that was the same moment when he left her alone without turning back. "Why do you want that? Do you need more power?"

Gong Xu sighed when he read Senja's lips. "Yes." He admitted. "The only way to stop my father is to have more power than him."

"How you can overpower a mind controller and an Emperor?" Senja mumbled as that thought was impossible for her.

"Talk clearly." Gong Xu was very irritated if Senja started to talk only for her own.

"I said; how you can overpower a mind controller and an Emperor?" Senja repeated her words clearly this time. "I can't imagine what kind of power that could overthrow an Emperor for that?"

"It is not necessary have to be me, there is another person that could do that, I just did what I can do. For the rest, it depends on him." Gong Xu's thought flew to that person, he had been collecting information about his movement and he was quite surprised that he had prepared and planned everything.

"Who is that person?" Senja was curious, it was hard for her to keep in tab with the political matter, aside she didn't interest on that.

"Prince Xiao Jun." Gong Xu answered.

"Prince Xiao Tianyao's older brother?" Senja asked incredulously, she only caught a glimpse of his when he came with grandfather and his younger brother to 'rescue' Senja from Uncle Ye Xiu.

"Yes, him." Gong Xu nodded, it was only with Senja that he could talk about this kind of matter, regardless, in the end it would be him, who explained the situation and taught her many things.

This kind of conversation was akin to private lesson, but it was better than having no one to talk to.

"Prince Xiao Jun still has ambition to be an Emperor?" Senja asked. As far as she knew, Prince Xiao Jun was always be a low profile figure, actually it was the same with his younger brother, but because the scandal with Luna, Prince Xiao Tianyao's name became stood out, added that to the fact he was victoriously won every battle.

Now his name was well known throughout the country as a demon war.

"People will not announce their move loudly. Remember that." Gong Xu flicked Senja's nose and lay down beside her. "I am sleepy, I will take a nap for awhile." He said that and closed his eyes.

It didn't take a long time for him to fall into a deep sleep and snored softly.

***  

Another month had passed uneventful and another years.

Senja was still doing her routine to visit the library, sometime she would bump onto Carye or her step sisters. But, they would not make anything difficult for her. Most of the time they would just ignore her, actually she was grateful for that.

However today was different, today was Hikari's wedding day, she would be married to the first young master from one of the influence family from neighbor city.

All the mansion was decorated beautifully with spacious red color and all the tasty food was flooding as the guests were coming.

It was a rare occasion that the Black Sword Clan opened their gates, so not only the guest were attending the engagement, but they were also very curious about the black sword clan's mansion.

She was dressed in white since Carye was still in charge as the mistress of the household, she was the one who held the money. Somehow, she was always buying white clothes for her, probably because she would be bother to think too much with the style as white could represent pure and elegance, also she could wear that in many occasion.

Senja didn't care much about what she was wearing, thus she had never complained about it and gradually, people would assume she loved white color, loved to read a book and well- manner Young miss from black sword clan as her appearance in the public was very rare.

"Today is wedding day, don't you have another color?" Gong Xu asked when Senja visited the secret room inside the library.

"Carye gave me this dress." Senja twirled in front of Gong Xu, she was thirteen now, her body started to show some curve on the right places. "Why? I don't picky with what I wear."

"Yeah, I know, I should be grateful you are not run around naked." Gong Xu commented as he was about to change his clothes, but stop mid way.

"What do you mean with that sarcastic comment?" Senja threw a pillow toward his head that he avoided easily.

"Girl around your age should wear something colorful, not plain like that." Gong Xu was hesitated to take off his clothes.

Senja grinned. "I don't mind as long as Carye doesn't find trouble with me again, I am fine, this just a dress."

"It has been years since they bullied you, right?" Gong Xu asked, as long as he remembered, they had never bullied Senja again ever since Elder Dam released them.

Though sometime there would be a little bit quarreled between them, but Senja had learnt to handle it just fine.

In rare occasion, which they were not in good mood and looked for someone to vent out some steam, Hikari and Rindi would look for Senja and started to bully her secretly, but Senja always managed to escape and hid inside the secret room.

In Gong Xu's opinion she was just too kind to hurt other people. Senja also didn't like to talk with other people, not even the maidservants who always accompanied her.

Thus, these past three years, it would be always Gong Xu the only person who she talked to and it vice versa.

"What are you doing?" Senja looked at Gong Xu in confusion. "Don't you want to change?"

"Can you turn around?" Gong Xu frowned, he didn't know since when he became uncomfortable to change in front of Senja, before he would do it without a second thought.

"Why?" Senja also frowned.

"I want to change my clothes." Gong Xu said it plainly.

"Then change." Senja shrugged didn't know what was wrong with that.

"Can you turn around?"

"Why should I turn around? You have changed in front of me thousand times already." Senja still didn't get it, why suddenly Gong Xu acted this way.

"Just turned around will you?"

"No."

Begrudgingly, Gong Xu change his clothes, this time he was the one who turned around as his back was facing Senja.

"You will go again tonight?" Senja asked after he had finished changing his clothes.

"Yes, important news about Misty Cloud Clan." This was another clan under influenced of Modama, Gong Xu had been keeping tab on this.

"Could you not go anywhere tonight or within these seven days?" Senja asked worriedly.

"Why?"

"Grandfather is coming and there will be many people from the palace as well, how if there is someone who recognizes you? Someone from your father or the Emperor's side, moreover, the protection around this city will be tightened" Gong Xu would be in trouble if they found out his whereabouts.

"I will be fine, don't worry." Gong Xu didn't take Senja's anxiousness seriously.

"But, Gong Xu…" Senja's expression turned sour when she spoke. "Prince Xiao Tianyao will be here as well."

Chapter end