Three Wars and a Goddess

Mixed Emotions

Making his way to his chamber, Mo Yuans mind was clouded with discontent.  There were far too many issues to deal with and with only two weeks left before the battle, he not could afford to allow himself to become distracted.  But he was distracted.  

She is distracting me, he thought to himself as he instead veered off the path to his private wing to make his way to the only place on his mountain where he felt truly at peace.  The Lotus Pond had been created by his father and was a place he himself meditated or spent hours pouring over his scrolls if he didn't want to sit in his study.  And it was there that he sat down among the tiers to think.

Zhe Yan was gaining strength the longer he stayed under the influence of the divine energy, and he knew it wouldn't be long before he insisted on returning to The Peach Tree Grove.  The only reason why Mo Yuan was adamant that he stay, was because Tengfeis scouts and soldiers were everywhere.  He could not allow him to risk his life, his energy was still too low to maintain his barrier.  Even with Bai Qian with him, he did not want to risk her life either, knowing that Tengfei would do anything in his power to get his hands on her.  

But a day would come and very soon, when Zhe Yan would leave and nor would he be able to stop him.  But with him would go Bai Qian who would then have no reason to remain.

And that had him once again thinking of her.  In fact the first few days of meditation had been very difficult for him to throw her out of his mind completely, especially knowing that Deishi would make a move, but having been weakened severely during the last battle, he had no choice but to hope her feelings for him were just as strong as his were for her.

Sighing, he leaned back against the rock edge and allowed the sounds of the water to fully encompass his mind and as his eyes closed the soft tinkering began to calm him down, he thought about what he wanted once the war was done.  He wanted her of course, but how far was he willing to go?  This was the question that had been on his mind since their first kiss.  He had been celibate for centuries and given up on all women but for centuries they came at him, even now they were still coming and though the numbers had definitely declined over the years, there were still a few hardy ones who continued to send him letters and sometimes gifts which he always sent back unopened.

Suddenly the feeling of something light being draped over his body had his eyes snapping open.

"Forgive me High God Mo Yuan.  I was taking a walk, and saw you out here in the cold.  High Goddess Bai Qian told me you have been unwell, I didn't want you to get too cold." Lijuan said softly before dipping down into a curtsy.  A greeting she was still having to remember as the Scorpion greetings were not only different, they were identifiable.

Looking at the green eyes, it took him a while to remember where he had seen her even though only a couple of hours had passed since he had walked out of the hall.

"What did you say your name was?" he asked staring hard at her.  Now that his attention was fully on her, there something about her, something familiar.

"My name is Wan Lijuan, I am from The Far North." she replied just as sweetly before dipping down again.

The far North.... he thought to himself.  It had been years since he had been there, but still, he didn't think it was there that he had seen her.

"Where in the far North?" he asked next. 

"Lán Yi  Palace.  My mothers people." she replied.

"A Dragonfly spirit." he said smiling.  Now that she mentioned it, he could feel the dragonfly in her.  

"And your father?" 

"I do not know High God Mo Yuan.  My mother raised me alone." she said lowering her head.