My Liege And I

Fated

Bai Shen Hong
Bai Yuwen Hong
Emperor Huizhong
The Palace

Chapter 62

Yuwen Hong traced the cloth in his hands and folded it with a rueful smile. He placed it in the box where many other sheets of cloth contained the messages that had been exchanged between his grandfather and Li Lian's grandmother. They had a good relationship, and it was fascinating to read through their promises and pledges of allegiance. Besides speaking on national matters in their letters, they would sometimes speak of the weather and things that excited them.

It reassured him that he was making the right decision. He should not frustrate Furia as much by letting them build their nation unhindered by his stealing and bullying.

The sky groaned and out of nowhere, lightning shattered the sky. It hit Yuwen Hong by surprise, yet before he could process it, a bang followed and even his insides felt it. Trees crackled from outside, and a loud thud shook the ground as a heavy tree hit the ground in surrender. It must have been the old baobab tree that had stood over for decades, a few feet away from Dragon Palace.

Yuwen Hong quickly got up and chased time to the window. Sliding the wooden shutters, he inspected the sky, surprised by the rain that came from nowhere. 

Only that it was not raining.

The pregnant clouds brewed in the sky angrily, as they tossed and turned as if they were in labour. He would have given orders, so they would prepare for the flooding of a storm if he had not seen the purple hue that hid within the grey of the clouds.

Frowning, agitation replaced his fear.

"How dare they practice magic over our land. It is forbidden."

Yuwen Hong grabbed his dragon sword and paced for the door, which his servants opened for him at the sound of his footsteps.

"Where is Furia?" He yelled as he stormed past his waiting entourage in the corridor.

"In the garden, Your Majesty," Luo Meng followed.

As Yuwen Hong drew closer to the garden, the more the chaos of people shouting and screaming became audible.

As a precaution, he removed his sword from its sheath. The guards he had instructed to station at the entrance of the garden were no longer standing there on duty.

Yuwen Hong stopped a palace maid who was running from the garden as she screamed. 

"What is this noise about?"

"It is Li Lian, Your Majesty," the palace maid shook, "she... she..."

Yuwen Hong let her go and continued on to find out for himself. Just as he meandered from his pathway, in front of the tea house, he found a surprising scene he least expected.

Li Lian stood in the middle, surrounded by Furian soldiers with outstretched swords. Not only on the ground but above her, they flew at with weapons prepared for attack. Just like the night he announced his decision to have Noble Consort Qi as his Empress, Li Lian held two swords she swung, intending to kill anyone who would dare to come near her.

He did not have to wonder long where she got the swords as two servicemen of his sat by the bottom stairs of the tea house, nursing their bleeding arms. Above the stairs of the tea house also sat Oren, who watched the whole dramatic situation in amusement, while the Queen of Furia relentlessly shrieked at Li Lian to stop whatever she was doing.

Yuwen Hong looked around for his mother, but she was nowhere to be found. The palace maid who was running away earlier was part of her entourage, so likely, his mother had not stayed for the Ceremony of Surrender and ran. Obviously, such things would scare her to death.

Realising the situation was not as he anticipated, he sheathed his sword and tossed it over to Luo Meng. This was not a battle that could be won using weapons if they did not want dire consequences. Well, physical weapons, that is. He could still use emotional tools.

"Li Lian," he shouted over the raging wind.

At the sound of his voice, she turned, her wild golden orbs holding back their fury at the sight of him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Leave me alone." She pointed a sword at him. "You promised to love me forever."

"Of course, I do love you," he assured her.

Quicker than he expected, tears traced down her cheeks and her upper lip trembled in pain. "Yet, you want me to leave with them? Can you live without someone you love?"

He took a few steps towards her, watchful whether his nearness was intimidation, or he was allowed to invade her space.

She did not change her position, which gave him surety. "Only when I am dead will I go to Furia. I want to be with you and will not go anywhere else."

He nodded, feigning understanding.

Staying with him, in itself, was now impossible unless he wanted to ruin the reputation of his Empire. If his allies were to hear he had made a deal with Furia but went back on it, and deceitfully took back Yang Liu without giving back Li Lian, who would freely make alliances with him and have trust that he would not go back on his word?

"Who said you are going anywhere? You are my wife." His voice roused confidently. It sounded genuine, even Buddha himself would have believed it.

Uncertainty bruised her features, and he took that opportunity to draw closer to her. "No one can separate us when we belong to each other."

The more he spoke, their surroundings quietened and the sky brightened to its original state.

He saw her guard slip away as the swords now pointed to the ground. "You mean it?"

"I just came from the training grounds. I thought you were just meeting your parents, what is happening here?"

She looked at her parents in accusation. "They told me you had an agreement and that I was to go with them."

His eyes flared in astonishment. "Never did I say that!"

Relief enveloped her as her shoulders sagged. The swords hit the ground.

She stretched her arms to hug him but instead of taking her in, he hit her neck.

Shocked by his betrayal, her eyes widened but before she could speak, she lost consciousness. Effortlessly, he caught her as she fell, silence consuming the once restless place. Everything that had made noise due to her emotions was unaffected by her unconsciousness.

He carried her body in bridal style and for the last time kissed her on the forehead. His wife smelt like lavender and wore the most alluring innocence over her face. Who knew when he would see her again?

"Thank you," Queen Elora approached them.

He couldn't resist holding Li Lian even closer to him.

"Look after her," his words came off more emotional than he intended.

"Thank you for looking after her, all this time," Queen Elora seemed to understand what he felt, "if it was someone else, she would not live to see this day."

He nodded. "This deal is broken if I am to hear that Li Lian is suffering in your hands."

Queen Elora smirked. "She is my daughter, after all, she will not suffer."

He continued to stare at Li Lian as if memorising her face. No more words to share with her mother.

"If fate had it different, I would accept you for her," she muttered, but because the words were so low, he was not sure if had heard her right.

Oren was the one who carried Li Lian away from him.

S.V