Choices

4 - Rumors

A/N: Hi, y'all! Thank you for dropping by and commenting/voting on the last three chapters. Happy to see that you're having fun with me in this version of our beloved ELOD/PB sandbox. :)

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The news that Donghua Dijun is keeping a beautiful fairy inside his domain spread across the realms in a matter of weeks, and in no time at all found its way to the Ten Miles Peach Orchard.

No exact details were forthcoming, only that the fairy was very young and with a beauty so astonishing that the immovable Donghua was taken in at first sight and refused to let her go. Rumor has it that she had a demon lord for a lover, but Donghua killed the demon lord and stole her away for himself. It was said that the former master of the universe was so jealous and possessive that he refused to let her out of his palace, and kept her within sight at all times.

High Deity Zheyan, alive for almost as long as Donghua is and so knows him the best (or so he thinks) scoffed at all the gossip and let it pass. Heavens know how many rumors Donghua Dijun had been involved in his very long existence, which is almost as old as time. Perhaps some were true, some were not, but in the end, none were proven. What makes people think that this latest piece of gossip will not die like the rest?

But then, Zheyan heard one tiny detail that made his feathers stand on end, and pushed him to make the trip from the Orchard to the domain in the demon realm that Donghua had claimed as his own.

The very young, exquisite fairy that had Donghua wrapped around her little finger was said to be an excellent cook.

Fearing the worst but hoping against hope that the rumored fairy was not who he thinks it is, Zheyan stood before the double doors of Donghua's dark, foreboding palace and waited for the steward to let him in.

After an exceptionally long time, even for someone as unconventional as Donghua, the ancient phoenix was finally let inside. He was led through a dizzying labyrinth of corridors and ornate doors, and was at last ushered into a sitting room where Donghua sat, preparing incense.

"What a pleasant surprise," Donghua said, and his unchanging expression held the shadow of true wonder. "To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

"Do old friends need a reason to visit?" Zheyan volleyed back, not waiting for an invitation to sit and plopping on the cushion right before Donghua's face. "The realms may fear you, but surely you don't believe that you can intimidate me?"

Donghua snorted and replied in puzzlement, "Why should I waste the effort to?"

Zheyan ignored the jab in favor of more urgent matters and decided that there is no use in dancing around the issue. "I heard you have a new fairy by your side, very young and beautiful."

The other man's expression did not change. "'New' implies that I used to have someone before, which I did not," Donghua replied, making Zheyan's heart leap to his throat.

"You mean its true?"

"What if it is?"