Xie An sighed, gratefully, as she exited the conference hall. The Cloud Recesses was a beautiful place to be, except when one was required to stand at attention for hours while the various sect and clan leaders argued for hours about petty annoyances. It was standard behavior for these discussion conferences, apparently. But she had new boots on, and her feet hurt, and there was a secluded section of a stream she had discovered during her time here as a student, and she was looking forward to letting it sooth away her aches.
A man in Jin gold blocked the path. "Please excuse me," she bowed, and tried to go around him.
"Xie An," he stated firmly, grabbing her arm. "I have something to tell you." She looked blankly at the man. She had probably seen him before in her journeys through Koi Tower or at another discussion conference, but had no memory of it. "My father and mother have agreed we can be married."
"What?" Married?
"My father will make arrangements with Jin ZongZhu and Jiang ZongZhu, but I thought you should hear the good news first."
"What!?!?" The audacity of this man! You think I will marry you? I don't even know your name!
"I think an autumn wedding would be nice, but my mother has asked if there is an auspicious date during the summer."
Xie An gathered her wits about her. "Did you really just try to tell me we are to be married?"
"Yes. You're pretty enough. Father was a bit upset that you're an orphan, but there are far too many women who were orphaned during the war for anyone to really object just because of that. Your cultivation base is good, if not exceptional. Perfectly acceptable for someone in my position."
"You want to marry me because I'm pretty and have a decent cultivation basis and in spite of my parents being dead," she confirmed.
He smirked. "Yes."
"What do I get out of this marriage?"
"Me." The smirk grew wider.
"I see." Xie An smiled. Then coldly looked him up and down, as if she was appraising a horse to be purchased. She even walked around the man like she would a horse. "No."
"No? How dare you say no to me!!" He grabbed her wrist this time as she tried to go down the path again.
"Remove your hand from my wrist or I will remove your hand from your wrist," she hissed loudly.
He sneered. "You wouldn't dare...."
"Try me." She was nearly as tall as he was; his attempt to loom over her failed. He took a step closer; she released the blade in her bracelet into her hand. "Let go of me," she ordered, louder.
"No."
Her blades were spiritual weapons, like her sword. And just as sharp. One slash neatly parted skin, bones, and everything else in her way. She sidestepped in an attempt to avoid the blood spatter.
"My hand!" he screamed.
"Be thankful it was only your hand," came another voice. "She should have gutted you." Wang Zheng pushed aside the screaming Jin to stand before her. "AnMei... Did he hurt you?"
"I'm fine, WangXiong. The blood is all his."
"You're limping," he admonished.
"My feet hurt. New boots. I was going to rest them in a stream I know of."
He nodded. "Let's go?"
The stream was cold, rapidly numbing her sore soles. At her side, Wang Zheng wiggled his toes in the water. "It's not a bad idea for you to marry, AnMei. You're the right age for it. Especially with Xie ChanJuan coming out of seclusion soon. That idiot Jin might be the first to try to claim you; he certainly won't be the last."
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Wen RuoHan's Heir
FanfictionWen Chao had a wife he ignored in favor of his other women. Xie BiYu did not appreciate being set aside. So when it was obvious her father-in-law was going to start a war, she took herself and her child away from the Nightless City. When the Allies...
