Mortal Kombat Fan Fiction ❯ Of Butterflies and Blizzards ❯ Interlude ( Chapter 8 )

During the last three months of Isabeau's training, Fay found herself in a unique situation. Every other night she would go to the secret grove and every time Bi-Han would be there, perched in that same tree.

He would smile widely at her and wave her on, encouraging her to sing.

And she would sing.

The songs slowly changed over that course of time...from dark and sinister tones to more soft and upbeat ones. As if echoing the same changes within herself.

And they began to talk after each song now. About anything and everything they could. And sometimes they would spar...him helping her to better understand the lessons he taught during the day. It had become a wonderfully special time between them.

She smiled, remembering their first conversation. 

/  -  /  -  /  - /

"So how long have you been coming here to sing?"

Fay turned back to him, "What?"

Bi-Han jumped down from the branch. "How long have you been coming here?"

Fay played with the end of her braid nervously.

"Since the beginning of training. I-I am not good at interacting with people."

"Why is that? You seem perfectly capable."

She smiled softly, "Because it is just you I am talking to. If its a large group and I barely know anyone I clam up, my hands shake and I get jumpy."

"Crowd anxiety. You must not have had much interaction with people growing up."

Fay shook her head. "It was just me, my mother and father for the longest time. I was 5, I think when we started to live in the mountains. Away from civilization."

Bi-Han was shocked. "How old are you now?"

"Nineteen. My birthday is in a month's time."

"So almost twenty. What led you here...to the Lin Kuei?"

Tears filled her eyes and she quickly turned away from him, walking to the edge of the grove and he called after her, rushing up to her and grabbing her hand.

It startled her and her hand exploded into ice but he just looked down at her hand and then at her...completely unaffected.

"Oh I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"Don't apologize, Fay. Its my fault. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. But you can talk about it...if you want."

"Why?"

"Because I understand that darkness that might be hanging over your head. It feels like its crushing you and you can't catch your breath. And plus a beautiful woman like yourself shouldn't be so sad."

Her tears streaked down her cheeks and she fell into him, wrapping her arms around him tightly as she broke down and cried.

He jumped slightly when she hugged him but then his lips broke into a gentle smile and he hugged her, rubbing her back softly.

"Its alright. Your not alone Fay."

He hugged her tighter.

'Not anymore.'

/  -  /  -  /  -  /

She giggled when she remembered what he had done a month later. He had asked her for the specific day of her birthday, not knowing that he had already been planning something for her.

So when Fay walked into the grove, she found a beautiful ice sculpture of a wolf howling sitting right on the rock she usually sat on to sing. 

/  -  / -   /  -  /

He had grinned then when her confused eyes landed on him.

"Well, I thought it fit...you know, because you sing at night and wolves sing at night."

She giggled, "Wolves sing to the moon...so does this make you the moon?"

He laughed loudly at that.

"If it means you'll continue to sing for me...I can be your moon."

Her laughed joined his and she nodded, "Very well, min stjerne."

That made him pause and he looked at her confused. "What language is that? I keep trying to place it but I can't."

"Its Danish."

"Danish...huh...its a beautiful language."

"Thank you."

"Now, since its your birthday...I guess you can have this."

He handed a small package out to her and in it...

"Chocolate?! Oh I haven't had any in so long. Thank you, Master Bi-Han."

"Please, when we're here...just call me Bi-Han, okay?"

"Yes...Bi-Han."

And she handed a piece of the chocolate to him with a smile.

"Since its my birthday it wouldn't feel right not to share."

/  -  /  -  /  -  /

He had ended that night by singing happy birthday to her...rather badly, but it had been sweet of him to put so much thought and effort into making sure her birthday was a good one.

That wolf still sat there in the grove. Bi-Han was quite skilled at making ice sculptures and now there was several animals in the grove alongside the wolf.

There was another wolf, laying down beside the first one, an elk, a few small little bunnies and just last night he added an eagle to one of the trees.

She felt like a lady of the woods, the creatures her subjects and Bi-Han...she blushed.

Fay wasn't sure what he was to her...they were friends, yes...but she felt different around him. She had come to enjoy his company...to yearn for it. Her pulse raced and her heart thumped loudly in her chest every time he smiled at her. 

She pressed a hand over her heart. He had become very important to her.

Her moon.

/  -  /  -  /  -  /

He was grinning again. That much he could tell as he made his way once again to the grove...to her.

Fay.

He sighed. 

She was someone he had never thought to meet in his life. Never thought he deserved someone like her after all he had done and suffered through.

'Xiǎo láng.'

Whenever she sang it made him feel more like himself again. And when she looked at him with that soft look and a blush on her cheeks...more than once he had come close to kissing her.

But he knew that they were walking a thin line being alone at night like they were but he couldn't help it...he was drawn to her...he had to be near her. It was even harder during the day now...seeing her in class.

She was still his student and there was the honor of the Lin Kuei to uphold. He would have to wait...but not for long...as the trials were fast approaching and after...

Well he intended to continue this.

She understood him...his pain...understood the shadows that hung over him and he understood the ones that hung over her.

Bi-Han held a hand to his heart. He couldn't imagine her anywhere else but at his side.

His little wolf.