There was total silence in the room, everyone was in shock and despair of the current situation. Ji Lie remained calm in his seat, the oracle bowing before Hwan said, "My Lord, I am pleased the ritual worked, the temple blesses our future heir." The oracle vanished into thin air, Hwan looking at the royals and this subordinates said, "The heir you all have been waiting for is slowly growing within me…"
Ji Lie stood from his seat, facing the crowd said, "I need to have a word with Lord Hwan, everyone leave." The cold expression, the anger and frustration was written all over his face. Hwan knew he was in deep trouble, with a wave of his hand the maids and unwanted company left.
Hwan felt tired and sat on his seat, he poured a glass of water for himself. Ji Lie facing his wife asked, "Why do you keep taunting me with your decisions?!" Holding back his anger and frustrations to avoid scaring Hwan. Placing his cup on the table he replied, "I got tired from everyone who kept nagging me to have an heir…" "Are you crazy Hwan? A man conceiving a child! What if you lose your life or something terrible occurs?! All this because you couldn't just pick one concubine! They were right we shouldn't have gotten ma…"
There was silence in the room when Hwan slapped Ji Lie, it was the first time in his life to be hurt so deeply by words of his husband. Hwan pointing a finger and him replied, "Stop talking before you say something you will regret."
Ji Lie walked out of the royal court, Isiah was forbidden by him to follow him. Hwan looking at Isiah said, "I am craving for sweets, bring them over with a pot of honey tea." The smile on his face wasn't enough to hide the pain he was enduring.
Ji Lie arrived at the temple in the mountains, he offered his prayers and heartfelt grievances. The oracle appeared before him, "Greetings my Emperor, welcome to Mediva temple." "You are the one who performed the ritual to impregnant Lord Hwan. Why did you allow him to partake in such a ritual? This is a taboo…a …" Ji Lie kept kneeling before the shrine.
The oracle placed a beaded bracelet before Ji Lie, he replied, "Lord Hwan was raised inside these walls, he was a lonely boy trapped inside these walls. Each day on the very same spot you are kneeling he would wish to meet his destined partner and cherish them dearly. It might be wrong to others but his lordship had no intention to hurt you."
The words of the oracle reached Ji Lie's heart, the oracle continued, "What would you have done if you were in his shoes?" Ji Lie with a clear head replied, "I would have opted for the same option, I am worried this will end badly."
The oracle giving Ji Lie a key replied, "Sometimes we have to embrace the present as we walk into the future, Lord Hwan wont be killed by a mere pregnancy. This child was already engraved in your fate, how about you stay here for a while you need to learn the tasks essential to Lord Hwan's daily life in the future."
Time flew quickly, a month passed and Ji Lie never returned to the palace. Hwan maintained his cool and decided to give him space, Isiah entered the royal court with a tray of tea and snacks.
Hwan looking inside his cup said, "What if he never comes back? A month has passed…did l finally provoked him to dump me?" Isiah was helpless to answer his master's question, Hwan pushed the tea aside and stood on his feet, "Xia, prepare a bath for me…it is late I feel tired."
A man dressed in general robes knelt on one knee, "My Lord, the village behind the snow mountains was wiped out…" "What?! How could you…" Hwan felt a sharp pain from his stomach, Xia helped him to sit.
Isiah bowed his head and said, "Please look after your health l will look into this." Hwan standing from his seat replied, "I will handle this…follow me Xia and Isiah."
They walked out of the palace and rode their swords to the snowy mountains.
Hwan loved the scenery and the peaceful environment emanating from the village, as he walked in the trail of dead bodies his heart tightened and he vomited numerous times due to the stench. Hwan arrived at the end of the trail and saw a person dressed in black garments surrounded by angry powerful soulless corpse.
Hwan felt a bit weaker; he couldn't draw his soul sword in fear of hurting his child. "I guess you received my message, I was getting bored of waiting for you. I envied you all my life…and the existence of one man turned you into a shameless weakling. You even lowered your standards to turn into a woman…will you save the rest of these villagers or continue bearing that bastard in your womb." It might have been screechy but Hwan had a hunch he knew the voice.
His eyes popped out when he saw villagers surrounded by fierce corpses, if he helped the villagers then his child will surely die. Hwan looking at the being yelled, "Why are you doing this? Kill me instead!"
The broke down into laughter, "Will you sacrifice hundreds for the life of a thing that is a taboo. All these people…innocent children…kill them." Hwan felt helpless, Isiah and Xia were busy at the other side of the village burning and fighting the corpses, deep in his heart, "Have I completely become weak? What should l do? Ji Lie please come and help me"
Before the corpses could attack the screaming villagers, they were torn in half by a sudden strike from above. Looking up he saw his husband standing on his sword holding a zither, Ji Lie said, "My apologies for being late honey."
Ji Lie stood before a trembling Hwan, he kissed him on the forehead and said, "I am so sorry for being apart from you for so long. Can the two of you ever forgive…" Ji Lie with a wave of a hand dispersed the attack from the dark sword.
With an angry tone he said, "Cant you see l am trying to apologise to my wife and child?" Ji Lie helped Hwan to sit on a rock whilst he deal with the problem, he drew his sword and faced the enemy before him.
Ji Lie wasn't an easy target even though he was blind, he was conscious of every move and quickly averted to danger. The enemy holding onto the wounds inflicted, Ji Lie clenching his sword said, "I was hoping to have an opponent, I am tired of these petty games. Surrender the sword or should I take it from your dead corpse."
The perpetrator used her wrath dragon she recently killed to escape, Ji Lie never bothered to chase the enemy since he had a wife to look after. All the way to the palace Ji Lie carried an angry quiet Hwan in his arms.
Xia ordered the maids to run a warm bath for Hwan and Ji Lie, the tension in the room was suffocating for Isiah. Standing from the bed Hwan said, "I will have my bath first, Xia bring me snacks from the kitchen."
When Hwan left Isiah sighed and said, "Master, where the hell were you? Every night I went to the mansion hoping to drag you back here but you weren't there!" Ji Lie tapping his fingers on the table replied, "Can l sleep in your room tonight?"
Isiah quickly left the room and banged the door startling Ji Lie, he removed his outer garment and went inside the bathroom to join Hwan. "Hwan, your silence is really killing me. Hit me…yell at me…or stab me with a knife but please do not continue to ignore me." Ji Lie sat in the tub facing his wife.
Hwan took his robe and walked out of the room, Ji Lie slide down into the water hoping to drown to death. After a few minutes he came out, Hwan was sitting on a chair eating snacks and having a cup of tea. Ji Lie wanted to give Hwan time to cool down, before he could out, "Are you going to walk away again? Wasn't a month enough for you?" Hwan gently placed his cup on the table.
Ji Lie faced his wife, he replied, "I am not walking…" A tray full of food was thrown at him, luckily the tea wasn't hot to burn his skin. Hwan walking towards him with a voice full of anger said, "Did you consider the pain l felt each day you were away?! Possibilities that you might have left me for a better partner! The thought you would never return…I was scared I would raise our son all by myself…back at that village before you showed up deep in my heart I yearned to see you…"
Ji Lie embraced Hwan who broke down to tears in his arms, it was hard for him too to endure the a month without seeing his lover. Tightly hugging Hwan said, "It wasn't easy for me to get through each day apart from you Hwan, I apologise for leaving you for so long. I love you so much and I will never love anyone."
In the embrace of his husband Hwan slept peacefully, Ji Lie held his stomach and said, "I will never let anything hurt you, please grow up soon."
King Qin offering his prayers in a temple saw a shadow creeping behind the altar. He quickly grabbed his knife and prepared for battle, "I come in peace Qin, even if I am here for war you can barely stop me…." Zetia suddenly appeared in front of him, her blood dripped down the dark sword.
Looking in the eyes of a trembling King she said, "Aren't you tired of being the weakling? Don't you want power and revenge from Henry for killing your people mercilessly. Why subdue to power when you can take it? They say with power comes authority…don't you want that authority?"