My Liege And I

Spells and Mirrors

Chapter 76
Crown Princess Elora

Furia

Elora wearily took steps into the room she had not stepped into for three months now. Unlike the bare room it once had been, it was now painted lime green and grey, with children's toys and accessories. The roof had been redone by removing the branches and replacing them with crystal glass that showed off the twinkling stars and moon of the dark sky.

The tank she left her child in was gone and in its stead was a small bed, fluffy with bear and fox fur. Slowly, in anticipation, she approached it to find her little boy lying in it.

Elora's breath caught. He was as precious as she remembered, if not even more beautiful.

"Érzi," she groggily called him son, her first word to him being the native language of his father.

She placed her index finger in the curled fingers of his. Tenderness wrapped around her, skin soft and rosy just like she expected.

"You are finally awake," she smiled.

His eyes flickered, still closed, in response.

Elora was in the midst of cultivating when it was announced to her he had safely transitioned from frozen time. Since leaving him, she refused to take part in the processes that involved his journey to resuscitation. No news was good news, so she immersed herself in cultivation, improving her martial arts skills, and integrating into the military.

Her mother sent invitations her way and once visited where they were camped, the Thousand Flower Military Pavillion, so as to convince Elora to visit her son.

"It will not hurt to take a break and relax in your son's presence," her mother had insisted.

Oren agreed to it, seeing it as best. Yet, Elora could not bring herself to. She was afraid that if she spent time with him, she would love him. Then what would happen if he did not recover and died? She was too weak and much of a coward to handle it.

She knew if it was Yuwen Hong, he would not leave his side, just as her mother had not. Apparently, whenever Queen Elora was with the little one, she loved to talk as if he could hear her.

"Did you like keeping your grandmother company?" Elora shook his little fist.

His mouth opened and formed into an O as he yawned. And there and there did he open his eyes, a pair of amber orbs that mirrored hers.

Tears prickled the edges of Elora's eyes. So that was what love at first sight felt like. She already thought her heart reached its limit to expand with Yuwen Hong, but the little one dug into her heart and made space for himself.

He was the result of her and Yuwen Hong's love. If the world was to stand against what she felt for Yuwen Hong and called her memories lies, the bundle of joy staring back at her would be the evidence to deny it. There was indeed a time she and Yuwen Hong really, really loved and were besotten with each other.

It did not matter if the hills flattened, rivers dried up, it thundered in winter and snowed in summer. After all of it had taken place, beneath the mirage of the chaos, would be the fragment of shattered glass vaticinating their deep affection. Irrespective of whether Yuwen Hong or her forsook it.

"Bai Yun Xiang," she said to him. "Yun for cloud. Xiang for soars above others."

He frowned and his lips patted together, before his tongue darted out wetting his lips.

"Naming him with his father's surname is announcing to the world he is Emperor Yuizhong's son," Queen Elora stated from behind as she strode into the room.