The Camp is quieter than usual when Wu Zhen gets escorted back... His legs feel heavy, but not from the walk. It's the weight of the words still echoing in his ears...
"Han, poison, slaughter, spies..."
He doesn't know whether to believe those words or not... An alarm rang in his head upon hearing them. The events of the past few days had tormented him quite so yet he still couldn't label Han as evil, he was keeping some secrets from him but maybe that's just because he's not a ranked official?
Yet Ying clearly said that she was going to inform all of her men about their own plan, even before when it came to the sand men she was willing to discuss her doubts and theories with anyone.
When they approach the part of the Camp where Han's people reside, he notices the man in front of him heading in the wrong direction... The tall man in front of him shows no sign of stopping so Wu Zhen breaks the silence -... This isn't the right way- he says upon noticing how far away they are from the core part of their area, closer to the other armies rather than Han's tent
He doesn't slow down at all, his figure imposing and making Zhen feel oppressed in some kind of way -You're coming with me tonight-
The boy stops walking without even realizing it -Why?-
The man tilts his head just slightly, facing him with an unreadable expression hidden behind black veils -There are things you need to hear... And there you would only be drowned in other voices- his voice muffled by the thick cloth over his mouth
Hesitant, Wu Zhen follows, his pulse hammering in his ears...
They reach a tent at the edge of the camp, the last one before the vast plains... Further away from any other. Heavy fabric and a neat, practical design. A scent of ink mixed with herbs come from inside it... A scent he remembers smelling recently.
The man pushes he flap open -Go inside-.
Zhen swallows then steps in, the interior feels almost empty, the few furnitures inside it are perfectly organized, as if nobody lived there except for that intoxicating scent...
The Spy follows him, letting the flap fall behind them. For quite a few moments he stand there in silence then moves to light up a lantern inside the tent.
The boy watches his every move with a dry mouth, the hand rising higher to his face... Gulping as those slender fingers untie the other veil covering his whole face, waiting for him to show himself.
A couple of silver strands peek through his hood and right before the spy could remove the right cloth over his nose and mouth, Wu Zhen shuts his eyes and looks away.
-I'm not sure that I want you to reveal yourself- he murmurs upon noticing those silver locks.
The man comes forward and grabs the wrist of the smaller man, tightly but not painfully, he brings the trembling hand to his face cloth... The boy looks up with wide eyes, meeting the gaze of the other man, a flash of tenderness crossing his usually expressionless eyes.
Wu Zhen hold his breath and grabs the dark fabric, lowering it beneath his chin -... Why you?- tears start to form at the corner of his eyes, feeling betrayed as he was finally starting to trust this cold man.
He stumbles back, his hand clutching the edge of the table as though it might hold him upright -No... No it can't be, you've been beside Han even before this whole revolt started...! Why... Why would you betray Han?!-
-I didn't betray him- Shen says, cutting the spiraling thoughts in the boy's head -He betrayed us all first with what he's became-
Wu Zhen's throat tightens and clashing images Happer in his head. Han's reassuring smile, how he treated him nicely since he joined the army, how he supported him after telling him about the letter he heard about from his uncle... Yet he could also see the stoic guard always walking behind him, never speaking with anyone, his steady hand pulling the knife away that night, how he told him he was on his side... And on top of that, Ying's words.
Nothing made sense.
-You...- he starts shaking his head -No, Han isn't... He wouldn't... He must have had reasons he...!-
Shen steps forward, closing the distance slowly as if approaching a scared wild bunny in need of help -I know that you still want to believe in him, you see in him the leader that you need right now... Someone willing to clear your uncle's name but you need to open your eyes, you know what crimes your uncle committed. Loyalty can blind you. Think about that night-
The memory is still so vivid, Shen making him promise not to say a word and Han declaring that attack as the doing of General Ying. His stomach turns on itself.
Shen rises and hand and grabs his arm, apparently as a way to assert dominance but somehow coming through as a soothing gesture.
-Why do you think I was there that night?- asks Shen
-Han sent you to protect me... He sensed enemies nearby...-
-If that were the case, then why leave in the first place? We could have stayed and fought together- he explains
-But he said... That we couldn't drag attention...-
-That's completely unrelated to the topic at hand, then let me tell you the truth. I was sent back to retrieve your corpse and pin the blame on a man from Ying's side who was ready beforehand... A man Han killed himself just to use him as a scapegoat-
Zhen looks at him with no emotions coming through -You're lying...-
-I gave you that knife because I KNEW- He growls -I was not going to stand still and let another person die because of his greed for power, this has been going on from much more than you know... I've been observing every move of his and tried to fix things on my own for years, but I came to realize that I cannot do much on my own. That's why I chose to side with Ying and the others-
Wu Zhen simply sobs at his words, he trusts Shen but he also trust Han -I... Don't know what to do-
Shen rises an hand and brushes the long black locks away from his damp cheeks -I'm sure you have seen and heard enough for your resolution to treble by now, your mind already had his own ideas and doubts-
Zhen nods while locking eyes with him
-The poisoning... It's true- Shen presses his lips together and advert his gaze -I personally retrieved it from the cave in which they produced the main ingredient of that drug... If this is not enough for you then watch, keep your eyes always open... Han will eventually reveal himself as time is nearing to the end of this matter-
He caresses the boy's face while staring at him, first his eyes, then his lips and his eyes again -You will understand why I chose this path in the end, I just hope that you will understand before it's too late-
Wu Zhen falls seated on a chair and the other man kneels before him -But why... Why do you all think I am such an important piece of this war? I am a nobody-
-You're important for... Us- Shen's voice sounds even lower -Even if you're not a strong warrior or a leader, you remain a key element as Ying explained. Somehow emotions and relationships are a stronger element than one would think when it comes to wars made not of swords but words-
Wu Zhen's lower lip tremble -In all of this I understood one thing only, that somehow you trust me... Or you wouldn't have told me all this, knowing how I could expose you to Han at any moment. Thank you Shen, for being on my side at least-