In the Present...
Meanwhile, Ming Zhu, The Fate Lord, was thinking that he should or should not tell the First Lord about the arrival of a certain queen in the celestial palace. They have just sorted out the other matters that needed to discuss but Ming Zhu being Ming Zhu, a meddler and the fact he is the only soul in all the realms who knows the actual story between the Former Emperor of Heaven and Earth and the Queen of Green Forest, could not find him to accept that this was the love fate of First Lord Dong Hai and Bai Hong Liu.
"Ming Zhu, is there anything else you would like to report?" First Lord asked in his ever indifferent voice.
"Nothing of importance, my lord. Just that the Crown Prince wedding preparation has started and guest started to arrive,"
The First Lord nodded.
"Good, I give you the responsibility to think of an appropriate gift for me to give them"
"Of course, My Lord" He bowed.
"You may leave," He ordered as he picked up a Buddist scripture and leaned on his one hand.
Ming Zhu after a few second hesitations bowed and turned if he would mention Her Majesty Bai Hong Liu, Ming Zhu didn't know what he would have to go through just for the even thinking of that alone, it been three hundred years and it became harder for him to work for First Lord Since Her Majesty Bai Hong Liu became queen. Didn't he want to know if she was here or not? Unlike everybody else, Ming Zhu knew that the First Lord was not as unmoved by Bai Hong Liu as he appears to be.
"Wait," Ming Zhu was just on the door of First Lord study when he stopped.
"Who has arrived?" He asked, his face was still expressionless and his eyes still on the scripture.
"The First Prince of the West Sea, the Third Prince with his whole family, and I also heard that That High God Guan Yu with his disciples, High God Ren with High Goddess Yi Tai will arrive soon"
Okay, Ming Zhu was playing with fire here by not saying what he clearly knows First Lord Dong Hai wants to know and he just made his life harder than it already was. Dong Hai's eyes moved from the scripture pinned Ming Zhu with a slight cold glare in his eyes. That glare that can make great warriors of all time curl in fear like a mouse.
"And?" Dong Hai titled his head.
"And Her Majesty Bai Hong Liu from the green forest has also arrived, my lord"
"Leave Now," His eyes look back at the scripture.
Ming Zhu left with a bow.
Dong Hai was... disappointed in himself as he saw Ming Zhu leave with the knowing glint his eyes, he could have held himself better by not asking the indirect question of whereabouts of Bai Hong Liu but it's been two hundred years since he saw her and last time he saw her, she was unconscious and just went through her heavenly trial. He worries he can't help it but worries though he knew she was doing well and he has no right whatsoever to even think about her. It became a habit to spy on her with the copper mirror. At first, First Lord was set on his way for forgetting her that was the best way anyway, how hard it could be to forget a person, he who unified all the realms single-handedly, he who is the only one to reach the state of single-mindedness after the Buddha of Suvakta. He could definitely forget a girl, a childish girl at that but every time he closed his eyes, he hears his bells that were tied on her leg when she used to follow him around, those carefree smile, that frown when she is confused and he was just teasing her, the laughter that quenches something in him, the way she would hit her mouth when she realizes she said something she wasn't supposed to, the adorable gasp when she used to realize he tricked her and above all her innocence, that even when she lied, it was pure. But ill-fated. Jin My's arrival broke the First Lord from his thoughts.
"Jin My's pays respect to the First Lord." Jin My bows with a tea tray in her hand. The First Lord gave her a nod of acknowledgement without looking at her.
"First Lord allow me to serve you some tea," She kneels down in front of the table. A distant memory of Hong Liu doing the same came to him but with less grace, she used to break more and serve less.
"No Need, I am going out for a walk," First Lord got up.
For a walk? Jin My has resided in Ocean of Bliss Palace for ten years now and she could count on her fingertips how many times First Lord went out of his palace and none of them was just for a walk. Before Jin My could suggest that she should accompany him.
"You may stay here," He left with unhurried steps.
The First Lord didn't see Jin My's fallen face.
Dong Hai knew he wrote his fate a long time ago by his own sword, that time the idea was simple. There was no need for love and distraction in his life, love is just a way of unnecessary attachment and hundred of thousands of years ago when there were countless enemies who were thirsty for his blood. He didn't need that kind of... inconvenience. His goal was simply the peace of Heaven and Earth, he achieved that and more with his sword. Now he is retired and laid back until of course something doesn't threaten the peace of all the realm, aloof, alone and away from worldly affairs. That how he was supposed to be, how he sees his life in future, he calculated everything perfectly thousands of years ago. His calculation can't go wrong, at least not by a certain little red fairy but she was not little anymore as Dong Hai's feet were deaf to his thoughts of possibilities of inconvenience. Dong Hai was not used to being surprised but he was surprised as he found himself in heaven's imperial garden, just a few feet away from a little red fairy, unnecessary attachment and inconvenience...
This thing should have ended at the gates of Nine heavens, three hundred years ago.
Dong Hai's feet were one step close to her.
He did tell her to let go, it should have ended then.
His feet were moving forward.
This should have ended in the mortal world.
Just one step to get close.
He promised himself he would never see her on his accord after her High Immortal trial, it should have ended it then.
And there she was on her stomach sleeping, Dong Hai can't help but admire her innocent beauty. After three hundred years she still looks the same, delicate, innocent and adorable. An inconvenience and a trouble maker, falling asleep in the imperial garden of heaven, what if someone saw her. She is a Queen now.
" Hong Liu Je Je!"
The heavenly grandson was coming here fast on his step, his hands were enclosed together.
"Look at this! I caught it! Look at this Hong Liu Je Je! The butterfly! She is beautiful" Ah li was unaware of the presence of the former ruler of heaven and earth, his whole attention was to keep the butterfly in his hand
A sleepy humming came from Hong Liu.
"Let me rest Li! I will see it later, let me rest a little" the last was breathed as she turned to face the sky and cover her eyes from her elbow.
"It's hard to get it anyway these days," She muttered but the First Lord heard it.
Dong Hai flick his two fingers and the butterfly was released from Li's hand making him go away from where Hong Liu was. But she had to wake up soon.
While the First Lord looked at the little immortal's retreating figure, Hong Liu's hands were not covered anymore, her eyes were slightly open. First Lord sensed the little moment and looked down but she curled up in a little ball, the moment jiggled the bell and arrow charm tied to her waist.
"I am dreaming, again" She muttered and brushed her nose.
With one last glance, Dong Hai disappeared.