Mei felt she was falling again but this time, she was being held in the arms of another person. Her grey platinum hair, which had been cut short ever since her accident at 20 years old, was flailing all over the place and intertwining with that other person´s dark and equally long hair.
As she was about to try and look into the face of the person holding her, she realized they were holding hands as well and recognized at once that it was a man and that he was sporting a ring matching hers. Mei had no time to blush or get surprised because the falling sensation ended and she felt a burning pain in her back worse than anything she had gone through in her whole life as a Sentinel which had been riddled with wounds and explosions everyday. The shock of it was so much she screamed in pain.
-She is alive, my Lady is alive!-
-Keep quiet! She is hurt, let my Lord heal her-
Mei felt frantic. She stared fixedly at the man holding her and felt his hand in her back passing some sort of current into her body. To say she was scared and confused was an understatement and with her military training kicking in, she tried to claw herself out and look for the best position in the room to asess the situation but found that both of them were surrounded by a sizable group of people and that the man imprisoning her was strong enough to be able to prevent her escape.
-I wont hurt you, just keep breathing-he said with a firm tone. Inside he was awed about the things he had just seen and heard but he knew he could not let anyone, not even her, see through his face.
Mei kept her eyes wide open and kept breathing slowly because it hurt just too much. After a moment, the pain started to feel less and less but she felt tired to her bones. Feeling relieved but also about to pass out, she relaxed and as she kept staring at him, she realized the man holding her was perhaps the most handsome man she had ever seen which brought a smile to her face.
He could not help but smile back as well. Lady Mei was a beautiful woman but she was usually very guarded with her expressions. This had been the first time he had seen her smile and it was really a sight to behold. He knew the woman he was holding was not the Lady Mei from before, his former fiancee that died while protecting him even when she had not a shred of power to deflect the hit. He had reacted too late and as she died in his arms, he held her delicate hand and used the Soul Bonding technique his Master had taught him to try and catch her soul long enough that he had time to heal her. He was unable to catch her but the technique took his counciousness to where she was and he could witness that there were 2 of her, the original Lady Mei and this one, Sentinel Mei. When the being gave her the golden ring and signaled the red thread was linked to her soulmate, a ring just like hers had also formed in his hand. When the being sent both women on their way, he was there to catch her soul and bring her back.
-You are really cute-she slurred and her eyes finally closed as she fell into deep slumber. He was taken aback because of her straight manner, so completely unlike before.
The servants and his soldiers were all scared and worried with all that transpired. The Lord had
been attacked and Lady Mei had been seriously hurt. They had been worried with this meeting because many hurtful things had been said and their engagement had almost been broken but the real surprise came in the form of a group of Shadow Guards that took them by surprise and attacked. Many of the soldiers had changed their mind about Lady Mei because her loyalty was proven beyond measure by her sacrifice in saving their Lord when no one else could and very well at the expense of her own life. They now owed her a debt of gratitude because if their Lord had been the one hurt, their lifes would have been lost. Their many eyes also witnessed the way the Lord held her tenderly since she came back and the formation of the matching rings in their hands when the Soul Bonding technique took place.
-You-the Lord called the maidservant that was wailing before-Come with me and help me settle Lady Mei where she can rest and heal- he glanced at one of his trusted Stewards- You, prepare reports to be sent to both our families and let them know we will complete the ceremonies after the Lady is healed-
-Yes my Lord-
-The rest of you, clean up this mess. I want to know who had the guts to dare to attack me and my Lady in our own Palace-
The Lord retired carrying the Lady in his own arms and the maids hurried about to both clean up and to complete the missions. He knew the gossip would start right away and counted on it. He needed the Lan family to know that he had honored the engagement, the Imperial family to change tactics and the public in general to know that Lady Mei was a brave and honorable woman that was cherished and valued for her actions and loyalty.
He glanced again at her face. It was the same face and features he knew since young, and at the same time, the change was evident to him. Lady Mei, the one that had given her life for him, was no more.