Taoist Master

Interlude 1

Gently tucking the blanket up under her chin, Bai Qian sighed heavily.  As gentle as he was being, the anger in his energy had yet to abate as was the memory of him finding her on the floor staring up at the ceiling lost in thought.  Not even the ten overstuffed cushions he forced behind her back, or the fur lined bed socks that he'd slammed over her feet to keep the winter chills at bay was enough to shake the fear of his angry self that had exploded into her line of vision seconds after everyone else had left that hall.

Now back on Kunlun Mountain and in bed having literally been forced to eat her dinner from his own fork after a full head to toe scan from her midwife, Zhe Yan and himself, she was finally free to relax.  Mo Yuans temper had exploded when he found her lying on the floor and it had taken most of the evening to explain that she was actually fine the entire time and she had just wanted to lie down.  In fact, Mo Yuan had almost forced her to pull out having thought she was too frail to continue.  Had her midwife and Zhe Yan not stepped in to explain that sitting for long periods was tiring but she was more than capable of continuing, he might have actually done it for her.

But he wasn't happy.  And only because she had not told him how uncomfortable she was becoming, but with only four weeks left of the competition to go and more than healthy enough to continue, he eventually conceded but not without a stern warning which she knew he would uphold.  If she worsened or the safety of the children became an issue, Mo Yuan would remove her even if he had to by force.

"I'm sorry Mo Yuan.  Please don't be mad." she called out from the overstuffed cushions that were threatening to drown her small frame from view.

"Qian Qian. ...." he whispered softly from the desk he had just sat down at only rise to his feet to make his way back towards her.  Then sitting on the edge of the bed before taking hold of her outstretched hand, Mo Yuan forced himself to calm down so he could actually speak without losing it completely.  "Seeing you on the floor like that terrified me..." he said quietly and opening himself to her, something he rarely did much less confess to actually being afraid which no one outside of their chamber would have ever heard come from his mouth.....   "Yet even now you don't understand why I am angry with you." 

"Then tell me..." she said not understanding at all.  He had already blown his temper and she thought she understood.  She had even agreed to tell him if she was struggling and was prepared to give up the final if she felt the safety of the children were at risk, but it seemed she had missed something, so she immediately fell quiet.  He looked so pained and ready to explode all over again, that she dared not move an inch.  

"You have always been so reckless but worse is your inability to come to me when you are in need Qian Qian and I cannot help but think you just dont trust me." he tried to explain because they had already gone through this before yet she still didn't get it.  "Why didn't you just tell me.  I could have ensured a more comfortable chair was placed on the stage for you.  No one needed to know but us, yet once again, I am being kept in the dark." he added bluntly and without an ounce of guilt for the sudden rise of tears in her eyes.

To see her on the floor like that and the stupid smile on her face having tried to play down her discomfort, had near broken him.  He had never loved anyone as much as he loved her, yet even now, he felt as if there was an unbreakable barrier between them.  He might have sounded silly to her, but his fears were real, and so was the anger.  The thought of her lying on the floor of a stage with only a curtain keeping her hidden from view while also in pain because she had been sitting too long, had felt like a real punch to his stomach.

Forcing herself up off the cushions and the thick duvet off her body she threw herself face first into his chest.  She honestly hadn't considered her discomfort to be such a big deal, but the way he was struggling to keep himself together had her realizing too late that she had once again made a big mistake.  She really had no idea just how deep his love for her was so therefore how deep his fear was until that very moment.  She thought she did, but the way his body involuntarily trembled in her arms, had her quickly wrapping her arms about his neck and forcing his face down.