The rabbit palanquin arrived in the Huli Territory. The curtains moved and Princess Lutecia could see the evergreen garden outside, full of pure waters, colourful flowers, and... tailed foxes! Shudders ran down her spine. Thankfully, there were also some rabbit maidservants that had accompanied her and some male rabbits who had carried her palanquin, so she braced herself and tenderly stepped out, following her servant bunnies who led her to the tailed foxes under a cherry blossom tree. There she noticed a tall fox man dressed in a red kimono. He had no less than nine tails. She gulped in fright:
A fox, and with nine tails?! Oh, High Forces... I'm toast...
Tears gathered in her eyes - if this guy was her future husband, he sure looked too fierce and evil... But why would he not? It was the Blood Moon Fox, after all!
The guy had long orange hair dropping on his back and shoulders, and shimmering light blue eyes of cold ice. He was holding a red fan and fanning his face with it. The tailed foxes of the Huli were gathered around the cherry blossom tree. Everyone was waiting for the bride to arrive. The bunnies led Princess Lutecia to the tree and she tremblingly stood beside the orange-haired fox man, unable to even dare look up at him. A seven-tailed red fox woman with long red hair and green eyes stood in front of them under the tree and smilingly asked the man:
"Lord Huli Yuehong, do you accept Lady Lutecia De Lapin as your wife for eternity to come?"
"I do".
The fox woman bowed and turned to the little bunny princess who had cast her eyes down and was shivering:
"Lady Lutecia De Lapin, do you accept Lord Huli Yuehong as your husband and master for eternity to come?"
Everyone watched the rabbit girl. She gulped, and murmured with tears in her eyes:
"I... I do..."
She knew that any different answer would cause a great disaster.
"Then, under the Tree of Love that blossoms over us," the fox woman raised her hands towards the pink branches of the cherry blossom tree, "I hereby pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss each other now".
The bunny princess tremblingly turned and looked up at the fox man, gazing into his icy cold eyes. She felt shivers run down her spine:
He... He is so scary...
Lord Huli faintly smiled and bent down, landing a soft kiss on her lips. The bunny's ears straightened from such a sudden kiss, but then the fox finally got off her and she sighed with relief.
After the ceremony, the tailed foxes took the rabbit princess away into their palace, and all of the rabbit servants left forever... Lutecia once glanced at them for the last time, let out a heavy sigh of sorrow, and followed her captors into the giant palace.
The mansion was red and orange from the outside and golden from the inside. The main hall was vast and at the end of it, there was a giant golden throne - apparently the belonging of Lord Huli. The fox lord quietly ordered something to some tailed fox maidservants. These latter ones took Lutecia and led her away to the upper floors.
"Follow us, Your Highness - we shall take you to your room".
She was taken to the final floor, through a giant golden door, inside a beautiful golden room with red curtains, red bed, and orange furniture.
"We will bring you the dinner to your room".
The servants left and closed the door behind. Just as she finally found herself alone, the poor bunny fell unto the red bed and began crying for her misery. Mother had warned her that she'd be fine as long as she avoided foxes, and here she was, wedded to one - the strongest and the most pitiless fox ever known to the world! Her sobs could vaguely be heard from the red blankets...
YOU ARE READING
The Guardian Spirit (The Guardians of Nine Heavens #2)
FantasyLucy Caldwell suffered a disaster in her childhood - her house was burnt, which turned fatal for her parents. She grew up in a children's house together with other orphans. She could never forget the fire incident and was sure her parents were murde...
