Dong Hai picked Hong Liu in his arms and Hong Liu curled up in his embrace, She wrapped one arm around his neck and the other hand fingers curled in his hairs. She murmured something inherently in her sleep as she buried her nose in his neck getting comfortable. Dong Hai look at her as he walks like she was nothing but a soft feather in his arms and shook his head but his arms tighten around her in an unconscious action.
He walks through the east gates of Heaven When he was about to enter his palace. A voice stopped him.
"A woman in First Lord's arms! who is she?" the Second Prince Huang Ling exclaimed.
Dong Hai turn to face him.
"I see, you have returned," Dong Hai deadpanned.
"Such a dry welcome, I have worked day and night for this peace treaty with the west sea and that's what I received?" Huang Ling mocked dramatically.
Dong Hai nodded.
"Leave it! You are heartless, no compassion for your friend. Now, tell me who is the special woman in your arms, I have never seen you cosy with a girl before," Huang Ling leaned to get the closer look and he looks surprised.
"So you are getting closed up with Princess Bai Hong Liu that's most unexpected!" He teased.
Dong Hai gave a mocking chuckled that didn't transform his stone face at all.
"Saltwater had melted your brain, I will send the imperial physician to examine you in your palace," with those words Dong Hai went inside.
"Maybe I shouldn't have said that," Huan Ling flinch with mock regret.
Dong Hai walk to her room, two maids were passing through the hallway and froze in their place as they saw the first lord carrying the princess they gap at the sight. Why is the First Lord carrying the princess like that? She doesn't appear to be injured...then...then what could be the reason of this sight they never thought they would ever see.
Ming Zhu, who was coming from the guest wing stop as he saw the First Lord coming his way and those maids froze at the sight of him. He with his quickstep reach to the maids and hiss for them to come out of their trance and move on, maids startled heed the Fate Lords warning bowing they left quickly before the First Lord see them, as Dong Hai turns at the corner, Ming Zhu comes to his sight and Ming Zhu bowed greeting him
"Have not been clear in my order?" Dong Hai asked coldly.
"First Lord this humble servant ask for forgiveness, but she is adamant to pay back your kindness before I could change her mind she flew away to meet you," Ming Zhu said with a bowed head.
Dong Hai detect adoration in his last words.
"I didn't tell you to keep an eye on her to get smitten with her," there was ice on Dong Hai's voice that Ming Zhu never felt towards him, he wasn't disturbed by it just nervous that he unknowingly displeased his master.
"Forgive me, if I have offended his lordship, I will keep myself in check from now on," He said with a bow.
Dong Hai gave a curt nod and his hand tighten on Hong Liu's shoulder, Ming zhu eyes caught that and he internally narrowed his eyes.
"The Second Prince is back, tell him to meet me tomorrow morning, I need to discuss something with him," He commanded.
"Yes, my lord," Ming Zhu bowed again and retreating to give him the way.
Ming Zhu proceeds to his way to the Book of Fate palace feeling odd, one day in heaven is a whole year in the mortal realm, and that means he, The Fate Lord Ming Zhu have responsibilities of countless fate in one day in three hundred and thirty-three mortal realms, he starts many stories and ends many in one day, he could be considered someone who knows how to read people better than the most and so far the First Lord was cold to the core with a glib tongue that hardly cares what other feels on many occasion only when the First Lord feels like he had put the Heavenly Lord in his place most ruthlessly, he is respected, feared and mostly deceived as heartless man, he could never go any further, only one thing on the three realms makes him come out of his retirement and that is if the universe was about to end. The First Lord is...impossible to read therefore he never paid attention to the nonsense that Spring Goddess Hua Shen try to plant in his brain but today...he saw a flicker of something almost human in the former ruler of the universe, he is possessive of the little princess. He chuckled thinking of that remembering what the First Lord said.
'I didn't tell you to keep an eye on her to get smitten with her'
The Fate Lord sigh thinking of his words, he can't deny that he was in fact smitten with her but not in the way the First Lord meant. The Little highness has an infectious personality it is impossible to not get affected and he now can see what Hua Shen meant, there is something more than kind gesture here.
Ming Zhu shuddered inside, Ming Zhu what are you doing? Stop thinking nonsense! If the First Lord find out, you will end up on the sharp edge of the Liu Hun sword, He shook his head. I must go and give The First Lord message to the Second Prince. He thought and rushed.
Dong Hai laid Hong Liu down on her bed gently, but she didn't let go of his neck her fingers were entangled in his silver hair, he put one hand at the back of her neck to support her head and the other tugged on her wrist so he could get out of her hold, he can feel her warm breath against his neck and his next tug was hard making her lose her grip on him lying down on the bed completely. He put her hand back to her side when he tried to lean away only to realize that his hand was still behind her neck, he slides it off her neck, he covers her with blanket tugging it under her chin his fingertips brush against her cheeks on its own as he stares at her face trancing her soft features from his stone eyes for several minutes. He leans away breathing and walks, a soft peach blossom essence leaving with him and Hong Liu gave sigh curling in herself in the blanket as she felt the wisp of sandalwood essence tickle her nose.