Choices

17 - Capitulation

A/N: Even in an alternate world, the things meant to be will always be meant to be.

An extra long, extra sweet chapter, to make up for the extra long gap between updates, dedicated to all of you amazing readers. :)

Rated M.

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All night long, Fuling flowers fell all over the imperial city. There was no festival, but there might as well have been one, with the way people poured outside their homes and gathered in the streets, marveling at the rain of flowers and admiring the extra big, bright moon that hung ripe in the clear, star-littered night sky , a rare exception during winter.

The amazed Biyinaos caught the petals in their hands and exclaimed among themselves: "Some god must be in a good mood, and made this to make his lover happy."

Within an emperor's courtyard, in a divan under the rain of flowers, two figures sat. A red-robed maiden -- her hair as dark as the night sky, her doe-like eyes twinkling with the brightness of the stars above -- caught a petal between her fingers and played with in awhile, then turned to the silver-haired deity sitting alongside her.

"Did you do this?"

There was no movement, but dark eyes shifted to the side, full of poorly-hidden amusement. "Who else would have?"

"It's just that -- Fulings are Heaven's flower, are they not? Only gods are supposed to be able to summon them."

"That is correct."

"Then how could you...?"

He sighed, and as if giving up on some internal battle, turned so that they faced each other. "Why can't I?"

"Well, didn't you choose the ways of the demons after you retired? So now you must be..."

There was no immediate reply. After some time of watching her face, he countered, "You've spent quite some time in my company. Surely you know by now of my utilitarian nature?"

She absorbed this with a contemplative silence, uncharacteristic of one so young. There was a secret in her eyes as she said, "Your Majesty is quite the complicated hero. Neither good or evil, with the ability to use the gifts of both side to your advantage as the situation required. No other legend quite measures up to such strength of character."

"Such deep discourse, coming from a self-confessed lazy student," came the dry reply.

An indignant gasp, coupled with the widening of eyes that a man can drown into. "I may not be as erudite as Your Majesty, but I'll have you know that Ancient History is my strongest subject. While I cannot memorize my own family tree, I can recite three days worth of texts on the battles of ancient times. My classmates all vie to copy off me during exams."

"Oh?" A gleam of interest lit eyes that were usually apathetic, though the voice remained without inflection as always. "And what is it about the history of ancient times that interests you so?"