ZiXin heard the door shut. She regained her consciousness when he burnt something on her skin. She heard his footsteps fade. Her heartbeat slowing with each step he took. She didn't realise she was crying until she felt moistness on her neck. Her skin was still burning with his touch and she felt dirty even thinking about it.
She let her tears flow freely but not a sound escaped her. He humiliated her, disrespected her, over powered her, and lastly broke her. She finally regained her emotions. How dare he! She would not break down because of him. She was The Eagle, people feared her not the other way around. She would not let him step on her pride ever again. She swore on her dead father that she would never forgive that man till her last breath! She would make him suffer as he made her suffer through the night. He would learn the consequences of crossing paths with The Eagle.
She got out of bed with new-found determination. This was after all her territory and he was just an intruder. She wanted to wash away his touch from her skin. The hot springs inside her private bath chamber would be proved useless on her hot body. She picked up a kimono and some bandages.
The ice water falling from the waterfall soothed her burning flesh. This was very deep in the mountains hence no one would come here, her secret was safe. Slowly but surely his touch was fading from her skin.
She closed her eyes enjoying the cool water. Listening to the nature. The chipping of the birds, the buzz of the bees and the rustle of small animals here and there. All was calming until she felt someone's burning gaze on her, increasing her body temperature even though she was under ice-cold water.
A beautiful flute's melody mixed in with the sound of Mother Nature. It was not disturbing the forest instead somehow merging in with the natural sounds of nature. It was almost hypnotic. She had only felt this feeling once before. She heard some rustling sound from a bush. She body stiffened at once.
Long Wei was watching his bride bathe under the waterfall while playing his flute. Everything felt perfectly calm till he heard a sound from beside one of the nearer bushes beside her, she stiffened. He stopped playing at once. He watched as a man came out of the bush with a disgusting look of lust on his face. Long Wei did not appreciate the looks the man was giving his bride. The man had already asked for death when he dared spy on his bride while she bathed. However, now by daring to approach his bride the man just signed for a painful death.
A sick smile came over his face. He had always enjoyed a good torture but recently by the news of his cruelty the serious crimes in the capital had decreased. He jumped down from the cliff he was sitting, landing as gracefully as a dancer. He watched as the man moved his lustful gaze from his bride to him, his face turning from lustful to that of pure horror when he noticed Long Wei's expression.
ZiXin watched as the lowly thief's lustful gaze left her body only to turn to pure horror. Her eyes followed the thief's line of vision only to come across her bride's face, covered with a sadistic smile. She could not hide her awe as she watched him. His face was lethal there was no questioning that but even with such a sick expression covering his feature's he looked even more beautiful. It was scary; He was scary because she could see through his eyes things he wanted to do to the thief.
He slowly walked towards the thief, who with each of Long Wei's took a step backwards. It looked like he was stalking his pray. "What were you doing here?" He softly asked the thief as if he was not planning his torture in his head.
The thief shuttered as he tried to reply "NO-NOTHING?!". He was backed by a tree.
It only further infuriated Long Wei's anger; He was never a patient man. He asked again "What are you doing here?" This time letting some of his anger seep through his words, daring the thief to lie.
The thief broke down not being able to hold Long Wei's stare "I'm sor-sorry please do-don't kil-kill m-me! Please!" He fell on his knees begging.
"Get Up!" Long Wei commanded. When the thief did not comply to his wish, he repeated again "Get Up!" kicking him on his stomach.
ZiXin watched but could not understand what she was witnessing. The thief really was apologetic for his actions however the murderous look from the man's face did not change. She honestly wanted to help the poor thief but somehow had a feeling his death would only become more painful.
She watched the thief get up from the ground keeping his eyes on the forest floor, not willing to face Long Wei. Long Wei took another step forward. He circled his fingers around the thief's throat, choking him. The thief tried to pray his hand's from his throat wanting to breathe only to have the hand squeeze him harder.
He looked Long Wei in the eye. His own eyes filled with unshed tears. Those made Long Wei feel a little better but he was not satisfied yet. "Do you know why you are being punished?" Long Wei asked as if the thief was not being strangled to death by him. When he could not answer Long Wei continued "It is because you dare look at what is mine and that is unforgivable" He continued to explain the thief of his punishment.
ZiXin would rather look away. In all her years of cruelty none of it could be compared to this and she knew she had to watch him to keep it in her mind what this man, this beast was capable of. He continued his explanation with the same amused tone "I did not like that you spied on what is mine so I have decided as, as you prefer to spy on things you should not I shall deprive you of your ability to see." he picked up a twig with his free hand and poked the thief's eye with it. The thief screamed out of agony but neither did Long Wei's hold on his throat loosen nor did his force on the twig that pierced his eyes.
It only made it all the more enjoyable for Long Wei. The thief's eye were both pierced till the thief fainted in front of ZiXin eyes and she could do nothing. "I should end your miserable life however, I believe a life without sight would be a greater punishment for you." declared, letting the limb body fall to the ground with a satisfactory smile on his face. ZiXin had lost all of her words that she wanted to throw at him. He turned to her "Get dressed my dear bride before you catch a cold" he said smiling a warm smile as if he had not just brutally tortured a man in front of her.
She took another long breath to steady her heartbeat. He would not scare her. She was the Eagle, who had slayed men in far more brutal ways. She stood her ground refusing to comply to his silent order. Both staring at each other