04

Bingquing held in her sobs as she watched her home burn.  The ghost of her innocence was hiding so far behind her that she could no longer remember what it was like to not know the sight of so much death.  It was so dissociated that her yells had faded to action.  There were bodies strewn about like ragdolls only here she could not be indifferent.  These were people that she knew.  These were her own . . .

They were lost . . . but there must be something that she could save.

The horse pulled at his lead as Bingquing neared the entrance.  The flames roared as she came closer.  She grew irritated with the horse's fuss so she let go of his reins.  The horse bolted in the opposite direction, but Bingquing's face didn't follow the direction.  She had tears streaming down her face as she was rocked with rolling emotions.  She entered the main atrium and her sobs turned into a scream as she recognized the bodies strewn about.

Mother . . .

Nanny . . .

The Cook . . .

There was only one person who would be so cruel.  She had seen him at the palace today and as she turned to look at the garden wall.  The confirmation made her blood turn cold as the dried blood that formed the X on the wall. 

Bingquing wiped her tears.  She knew there was nothing more she could do as the deed had already been done.  Mourning and crying could be completed later on.  She would cry at night when she was alone. 

Bingquing remembered the tree and snuck around to where the pond was.  The fire was still burning inside the main house and had not reached the back.  She ignored the impulses to go inside and save her things.  The pond was stained red and there were people floating inside.  But the ground around the tree was undisturbed. 

The tree itself had branches chopped off haphazardly as if someone had slided a sword through it in some type of sword fight.  Bingquing waded through the water, she flinched every time she bumped into something in the water.  She saw the dead open eyes of someone, and decided she would just close her eyes until she hit the little island.  She touched some earth and grass and pulled herself up onto solid ground.

Her clothing was wet and dyed a faint pink from the pond.  Bingquing noted the shadow of the tree and dug in the opposite direction.  She was crying as the dirt was hard and caused her fingers to bleed from the effort.  The pain had fruition as she hit something hard.  She dug more quickly and pulled out a dark wooden box gilded with gold and the seal of the emperor.

The box was thankfully not locked which would have caused her to despair.  She opened the clasp with shaky blood crusted fingers and drew out the imperial order.  Bingquing unfurled it and read the order written in the emperor's own blood.

She swam back across the pond and in her own burning house burned the box.  Bingquing tucked the document inside of her dress and walked outside. 

"Check for survivors!"  The sound of the voice made Bingquing stand up straight.  First, she started to walk in the direction of the voice, then as she remembered her home no longer existed.  She wanted to know whom it was who had come before she made any quick moves. Her closest spot was to hide behind a broken wagon.  Soldiers began running towards the burning manor from both sides.  She snuck through the side streets slowly and was going to make her escape when something hit her on the back of her head.