Flower of My Heart
Year 1894
Kwai Chang Caine felt the hot tears as they pored down his cheeks as memories no older than a few weeks assaulted his mind. Within hours of learning that the young man who had been under the spell of the Manchu prince was in truth his own son, the young man was to be his executioner. Caine fought the young man, not to harm him, but with the purpose of freeing him from the spell that bound his mind. Little did he knew by freeing the young man, he also was condemning him to death. Caine walked cautiously into town, sensing the danger, but not knowing from which direction it would come. Suddenly, he was shoved from behind as a shot rang out. Caine swiftly turned and was catching his son in his arms as he fell to the ground. A stain appeared on his shirt and spread quickly across the young man's back, darkening its mauve color to a deeper maroon. Pain and the shadow of death entered the young man's eyes.
"Go, father, before more come. They will not stop. I am sorry, my father," was all the words Chung Wang said as he went limp.
Caine buried his face in the dead young man's chest. Three lives were lost that day because of him; three lives that could never be regained. They, too, would be added to the countless lives that had been lost over the years due to the price that was placed upon his head. And all because he acted in rage by killing a foolish arrogant boy who dared to take the life of his Master Po as revenge and punishment for touching his escourt. There would be no time to get to know a son whom he never knew existed until a few days ago. There would be no opportunity to appease the rage of a still grieving father whose thoughts of revenge over the years had spread like a cancer until it consumed his soul, destroying him. And there would be no chance to get to know a woman who with her last breath confessed her love for him. Within minutes, Caine was once again fighting for his life, defeating another hunter, and fleeing from another posse. When would it end?
Caine felt the hot metal enter his body and exist back out, his thoughts suddenly interrupted as pain shot through his system. He had not realized how close his pursuers had come. Like a deer, Caine raced into the undergrowth to try to throw them of the track. Lucky for him, night was falling which made it more difficult for the posse to track him. On silent footsteps the Shaolin continued walking into the night, only stopping to drink from a nearby stream. He had to find shelter in order so he could assess the damage that had been done to him and to try to heal the wounds that continued to pour out his life's blood. It wasn't long before a shadow, darker than the surrounding sky loomed before him. Here was what he was searching for, a place to shelter him for the remainder of the night. Dawn was not far off as the sky grew lighter with each passing minute and he did not want to be caught out in the open. As he approached the farm, it did not go unnoticed that someone was living in the house. With the stealthness of a cat, Caine entered the barn and was pleased to see bales of loose hay piled to one side. At least within its depths, he could find warmth and consealment from prying eyes. His only hope was if he was discovered, the owners of the farm would not turn him over to the law before he had a chance to heal. As Caine was about to dig himself a nest, he became dizzy and he nearly blacked out from the loss of blood. As he leaned against a nearby wall to steady himself, at that moment, someone opened the barn door.
End of Prolog
Alisa Joaquin & Linda Schwartz Copyright@2000.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from
the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
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