< with the family, but in this moment I wished my family peace of mind and health. Reaching back I parted my hair in two halves and pulled >

< them over my shoulders, then I picked up the sword and angeled my head slightly, pulling my hair faintly and sliced the blade through my >

< hair and did the same to the other side. Gently laying the sword back down, I glanced over my shoulder toward the amber glow of the >

< campfire in the distance and opened my ears for any noise that could be one of the soldiers or even General Li Shang, though the latter >

< wasn’t because I was hiding I was a woman. Heat raised on my cheeks at the idea of General Li Shang happening upon me bathing again. With >

< a deep breath I stood up and draped my towel over a fallen log before walking into the cool water*

*I think waking up early became a habit with the training General Li Shang put me through since I was already awake and ready for said >

< training. It had stopped raining enough that the ground was hard enough to walk on but still too soft for a heavy wagon to travel. So I >

< was dressed in my robes and ready for my lesson with General Li Shang, but he wasn’t here yet. Very unusual for him to be late but at >

< least I could get some short sword or even bo staff practice in myself. Though when the light of the dawn crept over the horizon and >

< General Li Shang had yet to make his appearance my annoyance was beginning to surface. Leaving the staff against a tree before I headed >

< through the camp toward General Li Shang’s tent, which had a soft glow within it so I took that as a sign he was awake and didn’t >

< hesitate to push back the opening and walk inside* I have been waiting all...*My voice trailed off when I didn’t see General Li Shang >

< behind his desk. Brows drew downward in confusion about to leave when small movement out of the corner of my eye drew my attention to >

< the other side of the tent. There laid General Li Shang on his bed with an arm draped over his head and from what I could see, a grimace >

< like he was dealing with pain. Lips pressing into a hard line I wanted to walk away and pretend I didn’t see this, but there was also a >

< voice in my head telling me to help him. I remember my father suffers from head pain so I had an idea. Quietly leaving General Li Shang’s >

< tent I walked over to the infirmary tent grabbing a couple of salves, herbs, and tea before returning to General Li Shang’s tent. My >

< mother always made a special tea for my father and I hoped I could do it too without burning it. Making a quick wash of the tea pot, I >

< refilled it with water and placed it over the hot coals as I worked as quietly as I could.*