Three Wars and a Goddess

Epilogue

It was three weeks before Bai Qian allowed Mo Yuan out of her cave and not only was he fully sated and exceptionally happy, but their return also had the both of them facing very hard questions from her father who saw Mo Yuans disappearance as inappropriate considering he had left him and Deishi to deal with mess he had left behind.

Not only did every beast he had destroyed had to be buried, but the beasts that continued to dwell there, had to be subdued because of it.  The scent of their blood had sent many of them into a frenzy, and had Deishi not had a good understanding of the beasts having raised many of them, they could have had an even bigger catastrophe to deal with.

But the sight of the smiles, the hand holding and the way his daughter kept leaning into Mo Yuans arm to whisper into his ear had Bai Zhi quickly taking Mo Yuan aside for their long awaited talk.

Understanding what was happening, Bai Qian did not argue, instead she moved back as her father took hold of Mo Yuans arm and steered him out of the Grand Hall towards the entrance.  And rather than lead him to his study, his chamber or even a stroll about the grounds, Bai Zhi instead called a cloud and took Mo Yuan all the way back to Qing Qiu while leaving Bai Qian staring at their receding backs with a worried frown.

She knew her father, and he would not go easy on Mo Yuan but the moment she tried to catch a cloud to follow, she suddenly felt a soft hand on her elbow drawing her back from the edge.

"Deishi?" she asked as he turned her around.

"What they are discussing needs no input from you my dear.  Allow your father his time to shine." he said with a small smile, but the hint of sadness in the undertone did not go unnoticed by her.

Lowering her gaze, she allowed him to lead her back up the stairs only the moment she entered the Hall, she suddenly spun around.  Then taking hold of his arm, she propelled him back outside again.

"Take a walk with me." she said softly while forcing him to follow, which soon had them both moving onto the petal covered path and out of sight of loose ears that did like to flap if they were not careful.

With her hand now in the crook of his arm, they strolled slowly through the overhanging trees that Mo Yuan allowed to grow freely and it was then that she fully opened up to Deishi as to her feelings for Mo Yuan.

"I am sorry it didn't work out, but I am in love with Mo Yuan.  I guess I have been from the very beginning." she began which he said nothing to as she talked quietly.

"But I do treasure our friendship, which I hope will continue?" she said, it was a question she truly hoped he would answer because the last thing she wanted was dissension between him and Mo Yuan because of her.

"My dear.  Do not worry your pretty little head about me.  You will always be the one that got away, but that does not mean we cannot be friends." he said smiling down at her.

"Besides.  Mo Yuan and I go too far back to allow our friendship to be broken apart by rivalry.  He is as important to me as this world that we serve.  I only ask that you take very good care of him.  He might be the Great War God, but he is not unbreakable.  I think if anyone can break him, it will be you." he said and he meant it.  Mo Yuan loved her deeply and it showed, and being the only woman he had ever loved other than his mother, his heart would shatter should he lose her now.

"You are being very gracious Deishi.  I am grateful for your friendship, because I want you to come to our wedding." she said stopping in mid stride to look up at him.  Not for herself, but for Mo Yuan.  The two were brothers in all but blood, so for Mo Yuans sake, she wanted him there and also because he would be forced to let her go completely.