I stared at the man before me, trying to grasp that he was seventy nine thousand years old but had been born with his hair the color of silver and white.
* * *
Neither of us blinked, nor moved, nor broke eye contact, and then I etched his face in my mind so I could draw it up for him later and tell him that I took a mental picture.
"I have gold in my blood too," he said breaking my laser focus. In my head I threw the mental picture in the garbage thinking that he would never understand what I meant if was more concerned about the gold in his body.
"Whatever Mr. Gold," I said disappointed at how shallow he seemed to think I was. We bowed to my parents as they departed their separate ways.
"My name is Jun Bei Zhen, I am your designated replacement," He said after my parents left. I looked at him wondering where he came from and why he held himself as though he was neither more nor less superior than anyone. He seemed to not care what people thought nor did he seem to care to think about other people.
"I don't know you but I hope you are up to the task," I said brushing this Jun Bei Zhen as another face. As if assessing that I basically wrote him off as another of many, he kept talking.
"I used to rule over the Seventh Heavenly Realm before I decided I lost my care for the affairs of the Inner Palace," Jun Bei Zhen explained. 'Great one of the ancient souls in a not ancient body' I joked to myself.
"Great you could be older or half the years of my parents," I said out loud beginng to walk away from the Great Hall thinking he was going to follow me.
"Now I am the Water God, but with your position compromiseable I am here to help you," he said. Instead of following me he teleported us to a palace in the Seventh Heavenly Realm. "Now just because I was isolated doesn't mean I didn't keep tabs on important happenings," he said.
"So you are a hermit then," I said grasping that he was a good ally and thinking that he would be great at handling the affairs of power should misfortune befall upon me.
"A hermit," He said in semi agreement. "Or a dormant ruler," he added. "I have power but I choose to not use it unless it is absolutely necessary," he explained. 'Well, we get along, I feel slightlyat ease' I thought to myself.
"I don't want you to feel pressured or anything but I have faith if anything happens to me that you will be able to help me and the Heavenly Realm," I complimented to Jun Bei Zhen with a full smile. He looked up, for a moment our eyes met, and I realized his eyes shone like a pool of stars. We held eye contact but instead if a stealthy battle of wits we seemed to be complimenting each other.
"Your smile is blinding, only show it to those who matter, don't illuminate the world for just anyone," Jun Bei Zhen said in an indistinguishable tone.
"Okay Mr. Jun," I agreed half heartedly. He looked at me and paused.
"Well just call me Bei Zhen," he corrected. "And what should I call you young princess, Emperor Regent, Empress Regent, or are we allowed to be acquainted so I can just call you Bai Miao?" he asked, "nevermind I'll just call you Xiao Bai," he answered before I could respond.
"Okay," I answered acceptingly. I decided to explore his palace while he sat in one his pavilions and fed the mystical koi.
"Don't get lost, you know where I am," he offered as I trailed away from him.
His palace was huge and of course I got lost. He had a section of mortal peach trees and since I was list I decided to stay there summoning peaches from Zheng Zhi. I planted the pits among the trees already present and gave them enough of my cultivation for them to all have blossoms on their branches. Exhausted from exertion of a large quantity of my magic I curled up for a nap.
I woke up after about half a day covered in blossoms and petals. If my soul had a sent it would be of peach blossoms and lotus flowers. I collected the petals that covered me and stashed them away for later. I got up and went to the pond surrounded by the peach trees. I began to stretch and I caught a glimpse of my self in the reflection of the pond's surface.
I was wearing a lot of layers sure but I could see my belly when I returned to standing straight. I had to protect the Heavenly Realm but I also had to protect my child and I prayed my mother was being odd when she spoke of plurals. My child didn't choose their parentage so it shouldn't be held against them. 'What if mother told you right about plural?' I thought. 'No, impossible,' I attempted to reassured myself. I needed to return to Bei Zhen, maybe his hermit energy could tranquilize my mind. As I was about to teleport myself to Bei Zhen he was teleporting me to him.
Due to the magic pulling me to Bei Zhen was used more than once I was teleported to him and then at him. Seeing the chaos unfolding, Bei Zhen attempred to catch me while I attempted to turn away from him to avoid colliding. turned and caught we tumbled down like a graceful dance, we managed to stay on our feet momentarily but then Bei Zhen violently shook his head causing us to both fall. I landed in Bei Zhen's lap and he held me close. We stayed in that awkward position until both Bei Zhen and I blushed. I struggled from his grip and turned away from him.
"I'm sorry, I know I wasn't supposed to get lost but I did then I fell asleep and then I decided to come back," I rushed to apologize and explain. After a length of silence I turned to see Bei Zhen still sprawled out with an awfully large smile. Concerned I teleprted to my personal room in the Ninth Heaven discarding my collected peach blossoms, planting the seed in my garden from tg he necklace my parents gave go me and then I grabbed a calming tea to give to Bei Zhen.
"You scared me when you left," Bei Zhen complained when I returned. I spread out my tea supplies and brewed him a pot of calming tea. I poured him a cup and he just stared at me.
"It's calming tea, drink it," I commanded. Bei Zhen looked at me with a suspicious look I hadn't seen before.
'Ignorant beauty trying to tempt me or seduce me without realizing it, what a silly girl' he mumbled, thinking I wouldn't hear him, before he lifted the cup and inspected it. "Are you trying any funny business?" he asked. I shook my head 'No' at him. He smiled and continued "Even if you ever dream of anything improper, do you not see yourself?, a vision! even if you someone else's, you need no tricks" He said teasingly. I could feel the blood rise in my checks.
"I wouldn't ruin my tea with poisons, it is a waste of gone tea," I answered ignoring everything else he said.
"Xiao Bai, I may be a hermit but I am not lacking any of my original organs," he said as he drank his tea. "I still have some desires, such as a wife and continuing my bloodline," he paused and looked at me who was blushing madly as I had needed little help from imagination to understand him. "You would be an excellent wife, a worthy go opponent, and you could give me beautiful children," he said truly meaning it.