We spent over four hours talking with the prince, somehow we got comfortable as if we had known each other for a long time. Yishen was energetic and bursting with ideas and jokes, he had a joke for every situation - and I felt safe around him like I had never felt before.
But our moment was cut short when his personal assistant came to the garden. He curtised to both of us "Your highnesses..." he said respectfully.
"Prince Yae Lin allow me the honor to introduce to you Xiao Yi, my personal guard to the crowned prince manor, and a decorated warrior"
"It's a pleasure to meet you"
Xiao Yi turned to me and placed his hands forward "The honor is all mine Your Highness"
"What is it Xiao Yi?" Yishen asked.
"Your father, His Majesty summons you"
I noticed Yishen breathing deeply and seemed to be in no mood to visit his father. I reached out for his hand and placed mine on top of him, his mood shifted and a smile escaped his lips.
"Shall we do this again tomorrow?" I asked.
"Yes, yes of course Your Highness" he replied and I removed my hand although I could tell he wanted me to going.
I stood up and Yishen quickly got up too and bowed before me, I bowed back to him and left the gardens. I went out to fetch Chyou and we returned to the great house.
As I departed I saw how Yishen looked at me. How he savored every moment and wished he could have more, I, however did turn back to look at him and smiled. I couldn't wait to finally be wed and be close to him, he seemed like a good man and possibly he was warmer and I needed that more anything.
We spent nearly a fortnight trying to get to know each other through our discreet meetings at the gardens. In order to not cause suspension Yishen made sure that our meetings weren't constant and they varied throughout the week.
Sometimes we would have breakfast but it was more like a feast - with every delicious food on the table, and sometime a lunch break and we would have fishes and veggies and get drunk throughout the day, Yishen would of course complain the next morning how he almost slipped in his duties for he had too much to drink.
Those were the best days of my life and I loved how he didn't rush me to his bed. Yishen made sure to form a bond between us before we decided if we were ready for marital affairs or not, in every single day he would say "Often friendships are better than marriage" and I clinged to his words like a baby clinging to his mother's breasts.
All that time his parents had no idea of my presence in the castle, and we had his loyal servants to thank for. He warned me about his mother and that she was strict - and she was always worried about his welfare.
"My mother, the Queen may be hard on you sometimes. I just want you to know that she's always like that with people" said Yishen when we were strolling down the gardens in the evening. I remained quiet and he had a wrong impression of my silence "I made you sad didn't I?" he said sadly.
I reached out for his hand "No you didn't my prince. I am fine"
"But you remained quiet when I mentioned my mother"
"It's not something that shocks me because my mother was just the same. She spent all her life worrying about me..." I said and suddenly I was homesick.
The memories of Xinjiang came flowing down on me like a cataract of water over a broken dam. I missed my mother so much, and my father too - I wondered if they were still alive and still searching for me. Would I ever go back home? Even if I wanted to go back to Xinjiang, I didn't know the way to go back for when we reached that place which was the coldest and thought we'd die, suddenly we were on a warm beach.
I didn't know what happened and neither did Lee. Somehow there was this powerful force which created a way for us to travel to some other time. To a warm land, and in some other timeline.
Most of the times when I was alone I would think about it, about the destiny that was embarked on me. This Yae Lin who somehow found herself occupying my soul, was she the one who saved us from death at the brink of the coldest night where tales were narrated about a woman who died when she reached that point. But I didn't - and it haunted me everyday even though I kept a brave face.
"You need not to worry Your Highness. Tomorrow morning I shall introduce you at court, my father has taken ill and he hadn't move from his bed for many seasons now but I shall take you to him. I do not want us to wait any longer to feel each other's arms around each other" he said and pulled me to him, somehow my mind calmed down and I looked up to him.
Yishen was taller than me, not that tall but just a few inches taller. I held his hands and we placed our foreheads against one another and just breath.
He closed his eyes and so did I, for a moment nothing seemed to matter anymore apart from our union and friendship which we crafted together.
"I cannot wait to be your husband"
"You will be my husband Yishen, and I will be your loyal faithful Queen" I said and he smiled.
Since we were all alone in the garden I decided to seal our love and take it further, so I reached out for his lips, he trembled at the sight but I held his waist close to me. I didn't rush, I had already taken the first step and I wanted him to take the other.
Yishen kissed me so passionately and slow, I felt his tongue inside mine. He was a better kisser than Lee, he aroused me and turned me on - just when I wanted more of him, he pulled back.
I moaned softly with my eyes shut, and when I opened them he was smiling at me.
"I'll see you at first light my princess" he said and kissed my forehead, then he left the gardens as I looked at him. Chyou came to take me and we travelled back to our house.
As I laid on my bed excited for the next day where I would be officially introduced to Yishen's parents. Lee had already reached the flying tower sanctuary, he was over exhausted and the first thing he did was rush to the servants houses where he thought I would be, like a mad man possessed.
"Where's she? Where is she...?" He barked loudly trying to flee from the guards who were holding him."I have to see her, where's the princess?"
The guards brought him to general Chun and the general took care of him. He offered him a meal and a place to rest, God knows he needed that. The next day he still asked about me, if I made my way around the sanctuary.
"Is she here?" He asked "The princess did she return to the sanctuary?"
"The princess of Tong'an! Did you see her highness?"
"I was with her general"
"Where?"
"In the distant city, far North. We lived together in a small castle owned by this rich merchant called Yokosh. I found her in a small village after the war and we made our way to find our home, just me and her" said Lee and he finished sadly looking at the general. "Just one day and she was gone"
"Where did she go?"
"I thought she will be here with you general"
"Could she be in Tong'an?"
The general stood up confused and shocked about my whereabouts. He had defeated Qianlong and he knew there was a possibility of an upcoming war after he killed the crowned prince. Qianlong's son, prince Dao.
"She shouldn't be in Tong'an. These are dark times for her to be anywhere close to the emperor, a war is coming"
"War?"
"Qianlong is assembling his army towards our sanctuary. We have a spy on the inside and he's been informing us about his plans. If she's in the capital you should go and bring her here, we have to save the princess. In few days I will give you ten men disguised as Qianlong's men and you will travel to Tong'an"
Lee nodded and accepted the general's instructions with a hope of finding me in Tong'an, little did he know that he was partying on the wrong way. He hoped to find me in the capital whilst I was hundred of miles away from it.