Moth and Moon

Pink Magnolia

Once upon a time, in the prosperous kingdom of Xian Le, there was a beautiful fairy prince named Xie Lian. He dearly loved the people of his kingdom, and did his best to help them in any way that he could. The citizens of Xian Le adored their prince, and offered up tributes of flowers to the palace to express their devotion. The kingdom was happy and peaceful, and the weapons in the armory hadn’t seen battle in decades. By using their magic, the kingdom was able to produce bountiful harvests and never suffer from famine or drought.

A feeling of security and ease was woven throughout the community, like nothing bad could ever befall Xian Le. Crown Prince Xie Lian believed it too; he had never before experienced anything other than a life of privilege and abundance. The sweet prince couldn’t even imagine the storm that was brewing on the horizon, even as the warning signs popped out of the woodwork like stubborn weeds. A quiet feeling of tense unease began to loom over the kingdom that had previously only known tranquility.

The people of Xian Le were known for their kindness and generosity, but unfortunately outsiders had begun to find ways to exploit this perceived weakness. Humans had started disregarding Xian Le’s borders and encroaching onto its land. Several skirmishes had already broken out between fairies living near the borders and the humans, who were growing bolder by the day. Because fairies didn’t have meat in their diet, game was plentiful in the forests; not only that, but the animals were trusting and placid around people, because they had never had a reason to be scared of them.

Although the young prince was benevolent and caring, he was still rather naive in the ways of the world. He was rarely able to leave the confines of the sprawling palace grounds, and didn’t often get the chance to experience first-hand how the common people that he loved so much actually lived. He had heard of some fights breaking out on the borders, but wasn’t aware of the scope of the issue or the negative repurcussions it could have if it wasn’t dealt with.

One day, Xie Lian was on a trip with two fairies that served as his assistants, guards, and confidants to a town nestled in a forest near the border of Xian Le. Although it was tradition for royalty to be transported in a carriage to protect them from the elements and from onlookers, Xie Lian wanted to stretch his wings, and so he and his begrudging assistants were flying to the town.

On the way, his two assistants argued nearly the entire time, despite Xie Lian trying to intervene. They clashed like fire and ice, like a dog and a cat, over even the smallest of matters. Xie Lian often found himself in the awkward position of being the subject that they were quarreling over. At the moment, the topic that had sparked debate was whether or not Xie Lian should have been allowed to fly, rather than be transported in a carriage. He was beginning to develop a headache, and he was rubbing his sore temples when he heard what sounded like the crying of an injured animal.

To the dismay of his assistants, he floated down and alighted on the ground beneath the trees. As he followed the source of the sound, the many layers of his robes kept getting caught in the underbrush. He heard Mu Qing hiss behind him when he pulled his snagged robes free, and they made an audible tearing sound. Xie Lian felt a flicker of guilt that Mu Qing would have to mend his clothing later, but he was too focused on his mission to dwell on it.

There- next to a cluster of ferns was a tiny wolf pup with its leg caught in a trap. The black-furred pup was sitting in an uncomfortable position, whining from what must be intense pain. When it saw Xie Lian approaching, it shrunk back in fear. Xie Lian moved slowly so that he wouldn’t frighten the poor thing, and carefully knelt down and held out his hand.

“It’s alright,” he soothed. He stayed very still, and the pup eventually dared to sniff his hand. “I’ll get you free, alright?” Xie Lian held the trembling wolf pup’s leg firmly in place with one hand, and drew his silver dagger with the other. When the pup saw the glint of the blade, its whining turned into fearful yelping, and it struggled more wildly. The exposed flesh where the trap’s teeth were biting the pup’s leg ripped open more, and a fresh gush of scarlet blood dripped onto the dirt. “It’s alright, it’s alright.”