You stare at him
"You're just like those men," Tai muttered, glancing at you
oddly. "Nuts."
"No, I'm not," you say, reaching into your waistband for the
medallion and holding it in front of him. He gasped, and took it in
his hands.
"You," he exclaimed in hushed tones. "You don't realise
how valuable this is, do you?"
You shake your head, as Tai traced the pattern of the imprinted
lettering on the side of the medallion. Suddenly, he froze.
"What's wrong?" you ask. Tai looked at you strangely.
"Where did you get it?" he asked.
"I don't know," you insisted. "I was in the alleyway
next to yours, right? Someone grabbed me from behind, and shoved it
into my hand. By the time I turned around, he was gone. And I'm sure
it was a he," you added.
Tai weighed it up and down in his hand.
"You don't know what this is, do you?" he asked quietly. You
shook your head again.
"This is a Mien Sei Gam Paai," Tai said, more quietly still,
"and it is used by almost zilch people in China. It spares you
death, even if it is ordered by the Emperor himself. And the only way
you can get one is FROM the Emperor."
You were silent.
"Wait, my children!" a hoarse voice calls feebly behind you.
Tai quickly tucked the Gam Paai back into your waistband, whispering,
"Don't let anyone see it."
He turned around, and smiled at the old dai fu.
"Yes, what is it?"
"One of you forgot your necklace," he croaked, holding up a
small, gold, circular pendant on a piece of red ribbony string. (Why
did everything come in ribbony red strings?)
Tai looked surprised and slightly horrified, as he felt in the neck of
his robes for it.
"It's mine, he blurted, taking it from the old man, and turning a
slight shade of pink. "Thankyou so much. I can't believe I nearly
lost it."
"It's fine, all fine," the dai fu said vaguely. "Go
now, my children. Goodbye!"
"Farewell," you both said, heading out into the field.
"So, why were you so agitated over that pendant?" you asked,
walking along beside Tai. "Who gave it to you that it's so
important?"
Tai paused.
"It's nothing...... it's just from..."
You stare at him.
