The Emperor and The Dragon

The Ending

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Long Ago,  Nei-Yon rode on his horse that was headed to the cliff that overlooked the majestic gulf that circled Ka'ng Ruan.

The night breeze whistled through his long locks. The ribbon that his lover gifted to him whipped behind him.

The monarch dismounted his steed and walked the rest of the way to the cliff.
It was said by the locals that a Dragon God once kissed a human woman by this very cliff. The woman never married the Dragon God in the end, but the Dragon God made sure to bless the land for her children and future generations. This land that now stands today as Ka'ng Ruan.

"Nei-Yon? Is that you?" Laan-Mei's silvery voice greets from behind him.

Nei-Yon could not help but smile a little too happily, that he tries very hard to conceal.

Laan-Mei approaches her lover, greeting him with a sweet kiss.

The moonlight glistens on their bodies. Illuminating all around them in a silver-white light.

"What are you doing here?" Laan-Mei asks, as she pushes a strand of hair away from Nei-Yon's face. She placed her hand softly on his cheek. The Emperor leans into her loving touch.

"Didn't you write to me to meet you here?" He asks, confused.

"No. I haven't." Laan-Mei declares. "You wrote to me to meet you here." She adds.

"I never wrote you such thing." Nei-Yon declares.

"How strange." Laan-Mei stated. A frown etched onto her beautiful features as she started to think as to why both her and her lover were brought here.

"Laan-Mei." Nei-Yon calls out, as he places a gentle hand on her face.

"Yes?" Laan-Mei snaps out of her trance as she meets Nei-Yon's eyes.

"Marry me." The Emperor spoke in a serious tone.

The Dragon's eyes widened. Happiness coursing through her veins. But uncertainty crashed through her chest like a large tidal wave.
"But your people. Ka'ng Ruan would look at you differently when word is out that you made a Beast to be your Empress."

"I have done my duties as Emperor." Nei-Yon stated bluntly.

"Nei-Yon, you possibly do not mean—"

"I am ready, Laan-Mei. I no longer want to be the Emperor of Ka'ng Ruan. I want to be with you for ever." The Emperor declares.
Nei-Yon embraced his lover tightly.
"Do you remember the first song you sang to me? About the Emperor running away with Beasts? I want to run too. I want to run away and be free with you by my side."

Nei-Yon pulls away from the embrace, his forehead leaning into Laan-Mei's.
"Turn me into a Beast, Laan-Mei. That way, we can be together."

"Nei-Yon, you cannot just strip away your humanity—"

"It will all be worth it if it means you would be by my side." Nei-Yon interupted.

Laan-Mei took a shaky breathe. Closing her eyes as she succumbed to her thoughts for a moment.

Her eyes fluttered open, and Nei-Yon could feel his breathe being taken away as he once again was lost in her eyes.
"I will marry you, Nei-Yon Ju of Ka'ng Ruan."

Tears pricked into the Emperor's eyes as he happily embraced his wife-to-be.
"Laan-Mei, you make me the happiest of all men in Ka'ng Ruan."

"As do I." Laan-Mei's cheeks reddened as she sputtered, "Ah—well, not that I am the happiest of men, I am just—"