Rescue Me, My Love

Oh No! No! No!

     Hongse Wang Zhu was as gracious as any monarch in the realms.  Proper to a fault, he had arranged everything down to the slightest detail.  Mo Yuan had quite the entourage.  Not only did he bring his lovely wife, but his oldest son, his fourth son, the present god of war, and his last three sets of twins.  He was to find out later there were more who would be there for the wedding.  Two of them were monarchs.  He was wringing his hands to observe proper decorum.  High God Mo Yuan was the most revered god of their world, he and his twin brother, Tianjun Ye Hua.  He had to conduct himself and his staff with the utmost of proprietary manners.  When they arrived, Shenshi introduced his Fuqin to everyone.  Bai Xue was observing everything with the eye of a master spy.  After an hour in the realm, he figured out why Shenshi traveled so much.  His Fuqin was an absolute stick in the mud.  May the heavens forbid if anyone laughed out loud!  He decided he would test that theory himself.  He spoke into his Fuqin's mind.  "Fuqin, suggest that Shenshi take Bo on a tour of the palace.  His Fuqin is a very proper stick in the mud.  I say we turn him on his ear!"  Mo Yuan looked around and addressed Hongse Wang Zhu.  "Why not let Shenshi take Chen Bo on a tour of the palace and their future quarters.  You and I can talk while they do so.  Bai Xue, you go with them!  Now we can have tea?"
     They sat down in a very nice hall.  The hall was actually huge trees that formed a room.  The canopy of the trees made it appear like a cozy hall.  Jingsi and Jiaxiao were in Mo Yuan's arms, but the minute he sat down they went straight to Wang Zhu.  He was flummoxed.  The very proper king had been caught off guard.  They sat on his knees and they asked the questions.  "Shenshi say you great stag.  You have big horns?"  "Yes, little one, I do."  "Shenshi loves Bo.  Do you love her too?"  "I'm sure once I get to know her, I will.  Shenshi tells me she is quite a lovely young lady."  "Bo golden fox.  We dragons.  Fuqin very big dragon.  Him 'normous, scary, has big teeth.  Him has fire.  Me too!  See?"  Jingsi brought forth a piece of white fire and rolled it over her hand.  "You are very powerful for one so small.  Can I count on you to defend our realm if I ever needed you?"  Jiaxiao nodded and stared him right in the eye.  "Me like you.  You come see me at Kunlun."  With that final word, they climbed down and went back to their Fuqin.  "They are rather precocious, aren't they?  I will have to come see them now.  Once this wedding takes place, I may do that."  "The doors to Kunlun are always open.  Come when you like.  I'm retired now so I must admit I do have more time."  "I hear that the huli is very powerful.  Is it true?"  "Baohu, show your aura!"  He stood and surged his power out.  He withdrew it and sat back down.  He grinned the war god grin.  "I believe you have left the realms in very capable hands!"
     Shenshi had saved his rooms for last.  Bo's hall was right next to his.  It was decorated in pastel shades of blue and green.  Soft carpets were on the floors.  Bai Xue nodded his approval.  They walked into a courtyard filled with flowering trees and wonderful smells.  A pond was there with fish and a stone path wove its way through it.  The path led to Shenshi's hall.  His room was decorated in the same colors as Bo's hall.  It was obvious it was built for the two of them.  A very delicate looking tea set of pastel blue was sitting in a tray on the table.  "I had that tea set made for you, Bo.  I hope you like it!"  She picked up a cup and saw the peach blossoms painted so finely on it.  "I do like it!  It's very lovely!  I love our rooms too."  He put his arm around her waist and pulled her close.  "Anything for my Xiao Jin Huli."  He was about to kiss her when Xue coughed.  "Da ge!  You're worse than Fuqin!  I suppose when he leaves our world, you will be sitting in his seat!"  "Yes, I will so don't forget it!"  They returned to the hall.  Xue gave his report to his Fuqin.  He bowed to his Fuqin and King Hongse Wang Zhu.  "Fuqin, you can rest assured that Bai Chen Bo will indeed live like a princess of the realm.  The lovebirds have a nice cozy nest where they can live in bliss.  She will be well taken care of."  "Da ge!  How terrible!  Fuqin, he's horrible!"  "As long as you're happy, Fuqin is happy!"  Bai Qian was watching them quietly but the ringing in her ears would not let up.  She had a building headache.  She was thinking the sooner this visit was over, the better.  The visit had gone well and Mo Yuan was satisfied that all of the wedding details were met.  In one week, they would be back for the wedding and celebrations.  They were preparing to leave when Bai Qian fainted dead away.  Bai Xue caught her before she hit the ground.  "Excuse us but I must have my wife tended to right away.  Taiyang!  Zhenzhu!  Go get Jinzi and meet us at Kunlun!"  They jumped just as their Fuqin did.
     Xue laid his mother down on their bed and turned to take the girls from their Fuqin.  "No, no, no Da ge!  We no leave!!  No leave!!"  They both patted his chest.  "Alright, but you must be quiet and stay with me.  Agreed?"  They nodded and settled into his arms.  Jinzi came running in with Taiyang and Zhenzhu behind him.  He sat down and scanned his mother.  He checked her pulse and looked up in concern.  "Fuqin, how long has it been since you and mother spent that week at Yanhua cave?"  Mo Yuan was shaking his head.  "No!  No!  No!  Tell me no, Jinzi!  She can't be!"  "If it's been eight months?"  Mo Yuan put his head down and begin to weep.  "Fuqin!  I was afraid this would happen!  Don't worry!  We will all take care of Mother!  Don't worry!"  His eyes turned gold and Jinlong moaned like he was in pain.  He moaned and moaned.  Jinzi, being concerned, stood and went to his Fuqin.  "Fuqin, please calm yourself or I will put you to sleep!  Calm yourself!"  Mo Yuan stood and roared his sorrow.  He walked out the door and disappeared, leaving behind a room full of worried children.  Bai Xue called Ye Hua to them.  "Shushu please come to Fuqin's room!"  Ye Hua appeared in the door and ran in.  "Shushu, find Fuqin.  He's very upset because mother is pregnant again."  "I thought she couldn't?"  "I thought those peaches would work but who can override a very viral mating dragon?"  "I'll go see Fuqin.  He will help me."  Ye Hua jumped to the mountain pinnacle to find Mo Yuan there with his head in their mother's lap.  "Now, now!  Don't cry so!  It will be ok.  Mo Yuan, you must be strong for your children.  Come, baby, let Mother help you now!  You can't be like this!"  "I killed her!  I killed her!"  "Da ge!  Stop blaming yourself!  You have to take care of her!"  He raised himself from his mother's lap.  "You don't understand!  If she dies, what do I have left?  How will I continue on?"  "Da ge!  Stop now.  You're getting ahead of yourself.  Just take care of her.  Tell him, Mother!"  "Mo Yuan!  Stop this hysteria now!  You have to be the strong man you've always been!  Stand up now!  Stand up and get yourself under control."  He stood up, wiped his face and nodded.  "I'm ok.  I'm ok.  I'll try my best, Mama!  I promise!"  "Alright then!  If you need me, come to me.  Now go back to your children."
     Mo Yuan returned to his room.  He was met with a chorus of voices and held up his hand.  "Your mother will be ok.  I will be ok.  Go to your rooms now and let Fuqin tend to Mother now."  Another chorus met his ears.  He turned and roared.  "I SAID GO TO YOUR ROOMS!!"  Jingsi and Jiaxiao had never heard their Fuqin raise his voice in such a way and never had Gaoxing and Xingfu.  They fled in terror and went to their rooms.  Jingsi crawled under her bed and transformed into a small snake sized dragon.  Jiaxiao joined her.  They hid in terror.  Gaoxing and Xingfu also hid.  They climbed under Xingfu's bed.  Bai Xue called JinDe to him to get everyone settled down.  Xue went to find Jingsi and Jiaxiao.  When he entered their room, he sent out sensors to find them.  He knelt down and looked under the bed to see them coiled together.  "Come to Da ge now.  You will be ok."  He held out his hands.  "Come now, come to Da ge."  They came into his hands.    He tucked them into his robe until they were warm and safe.  He sat on Jiaxiao's bed and waited for them.  "All will be ok now.  Fuqin expects us to obey him.  When he's upset like that, you must obey him without protest.  Now come here and transform.  I will help you get ready to eat dinner.  Come now."  They came out of his robe and transformed in his lap.  Jingsi cried and sniffed.  "Da ge, me verra fraid.  Dragon can hurt Jingsi.  Jingsi want to run away.  Jingsi fraid."  He hugged her close.  "It will be ok, Jingsi.  You know Fuqin would never hurt you.  Before you were ever born, Fuqin and Si ge were sparring.  Fuqin was dodging lightning with Baohu in his talons.  He hit the ground and nearly died because he didn't want to hurt Baohu.  So do you understand?  Fuqin raised his voice because we didn't listen to him.  Now let's get dressed for dinner."  He dressed them and took them into his arms to go to the dining hall.
     JinDe was in the room with Gaoxing and Xingfu.  They too, were under the bed.  JinDe sat on the other bed and called them out.  "Come to Er ge!  It will be ok now.  Don't be afraid.  You know Fuqin would never hurt you.  He just did that because we didn't obey him.  Come now and let's get ready to eat dinner."  "Er ge, me scared.  Fuqin never talk so loud. *sniff*"  "Come here to Er ge."  He hugged them close.  He waved his hand and dressed them for dinner.  Taiyang and Zhenzhu were in their room, but they too had seen a side of their Fuqin that they knew all too well.  They could sometimes remember the violence from Jinlong that had caused them injury.  They both were shaking.  Bai Xue stepped in the door with Jingsi and Jiaxiao.  "You boys ok?"  Taiyang was visibly shaking.  "Da ge, I admit I'm rather shaken.  I remember all too well how Jinlong can act when he's angry!"  "Zhenzhu, Fuqin is shaken up right now.  He wouldn't hurt any of us.  He was just upset and we all disobeyed him.  Calm yourself and come eat dinner."  They followed him to the dining hall.  Dinner was quiet and somber.  Baohu sat on his dais feeding pieces to Fengbao and WuYun.  He finally spoke up.  "We all know Fuqin is upset.  We know he wouldn't hurt any of us.  We need to help him take care of mother.  We can do it and not even let them know.  Do we all agree?"  Nods all around.  "Alright, we start tomorrow.  Let Fuqin rest with mother.  You little ones come to me or JinDe when you arise in the morning, ok?"  "But Si ge, Fuqin all time get Jingsi in morning!  Me be sad!"  "Jingsi, Si ge will come get you when I get Fengbao and WuYun.  Or Taiyang and Zhenzhu could come get you.  You choose."  Jiaxiao made up their minds.  "Tai and Zhu come."  "Alright then.  Now let's eat and go rest."
     The next morning they all went about doing the things their Fuqin usually does.  The young children were with Taiyang and Zhenzhu.  Those boys had them building things with blocks while they worked on the chest for their mother.  Since the nursery had been converted to a room for Jingsi and Jiaxiao, a new nursery was needed.  Jinzi gave up his old room.  He said he could stay in Bo or Chu's room.  Taiyang and Zhenzhu had the young ones helping them have the room ready.  They were all busy trying to lift the burden from their Fuqin.  That stalwart dragon was so exhausted that he slept until after lunch.  Bai Qian was on his shoulder with her arm thrown over his chest.  He slowly awakened and stretched.  When he looked at the window to gauge the time, he almost jumped out of bed.  He gently kissed her and hugged her.  He was about to move her when her eyes opened.  "It seems we have slept until lunch, my love."  She stretched and sat up.  He stood and dressed himself.  "Do you wish me to help you, my love?"  "No, I'll be fine.  You know the routine."  He knelt in front of her.  "Qian'er, I'm so sorry.  You must take extra care.  Please?  I can't bear it!  I'm so sorry!"  He cried into her lap.  "Mo Yuan, dearest, it's fine.  I'll just have to take care.  There are plenty of people to help me.  Don't be so upset!"  His eyes turned gold and he cried.  "If I just didn't love the feeling mating gives me, but alas, your tails all over me, the spells, our sharing of essence, your hot lips on mine....."  He moaned a deep moan that ended in a sigh.  She rapped him on his head.  "And that right there is why I'm in this condition.  Now behave.  I can't accommodate you right now.  I need some tea.  Plus I'm wondering why it's so quiet?  Where are Jingsi and Jiaxiao?  Surely they aren't still asleep?"  He helped her up and waited as she dressed.  They walked down the hall to the play room.  Taiyang and Zhenzhu had them all reciting there letters and numbers.  They had a big board set up that they could write on.  When they walked in, Jingsi hid behind Taiyang and Jiaxiao was in a panic where to hide.  "How about kisses for Fuqin and Mother?"  Mo Yuan sat on the rug and waited for them to come.  Taiyang had to break the news.  "Fuqin, I'm sorry to say it, but they are afraid of you.  They had never seen you angry before yesterday.  I admit I got a little rattled myself."  The hurt on Mo Yuan's face was real as his eyes turned gold.  He moaned a very soft moan that clearly showed them that he was hurt.  He looked at them softly and sighed.  "Very well.  I'll just leave your mother here with you.  I will come back later."  He got up and left the room.  Bai Qian was rather miffed that they shunned their Fuqin like that.  She rose to leave but Jingsi grabbed her leg.  She cried and sniffed.  "Mama, me fraid.  Me fraid of Fuqin.  He scream at us.  Scary.  Bad scary.  Me fraaaiiiddddd!"  Tears ran down her little face.  "Mother, I tried to tell them that Fuqin only screamed because he was upset and we disobeyed him.  I guess they had never seen him angry like that, is all."  "Let Mother explain.  You just hurt your Fuqin deeply.  He loves all of you dearly.  You cut his heart when you snubbed him.  I shall go get him so you can let him know you love him.  How about that?"  Zhenzhu spoke for them.  "We have hurt Fuqin and made him sad.  Every time Fuqin gets really hurt, he gets more gray hair and closer to his calamity.  We must apologize to him and let him know how much we love him."
     Mo Yuan walked to the dragon den and entered.  He transformed and coiled on the bed there.  Being hurt to the core of his very being, he started to huff and tears ran out of his dragon eyes.  Never in a million years would he ever have scared his children so badly.  Bai Xue was looking for his Fuqin.  He sent feelers out and found him in the den.  He walked down into the mountain to check on him.  There was no barrier so he just walked in to the sound of Jinlong crying.  He stood in shock for a moment and walked close enough to touch him.  "Fuqin, what has happened that you are so upset?  Can I help you?"  Jinlong transformed and turned to his oldest son.  "They rejected me.  All six of the babies rejected me.  They were scared of me!"  Xue understood his anguish.  "Fuqin, they don't mean to hurt you, but they saw a side of you yesterday that was scary to them.  Taiyang said he himself was scared.  He said he had a flashback of when you injured them.  It's only natural for them to fear you.  Rest here today and I will take care of them.  You will need your strength to take care of Mother.  Will you do that for me?"  "Just when did my firstborn get so bossy?  You're starting to sound a lot like me."  "My Fuqin, Mo Yuan, taught me to stand tall, never shirk my duties and be a man.  When I did shirk my duties, he not so kindly reminded me of them.  Now I'm reminding you.  Here lately every time you get upset, your hair gets more gray in it.  I'm worried about you Fuqin.  Please just rest awhile, will you?"  Mo Yuan sighed.  "Yes, I will rest.  I got very upset yesterday.  I'm afraid for your mother.  We could lose her.  I don't want to live without her, Xue.  Do you understand?"  "Fuqin, I didn't want to live without Meili, but you forced me too and I'm glad you did.  Now rest.  I'll be back later to check on you."  He helped his Fuqin get into his lotus position and straighten his robes.  He looked him over and was alarmed but he didn't show it.  There was a streak of white hair at both temples.  He was going to seek out his Zufu.  Bai Xue came into the hall and found his mother looking for their Fuqin.  "Xue!  Have you seen your Fuqin?  The children want to apologize to him."  "He's in the den resting.  I made him stay there.  Let him rest for a while.  Fuqin got very upset yesterday.  He just needs to calm down a little.  We will go get him later, ok?"  "Alright then.  I'll go rest myself.  I expect Jinzi any time now anyway."  Xue walked his mother to their room to rest for a while. 
     Bai Xue sat on the bench on the pinnacle of Kunlun in silent contemplation.  Fuxi came and sat by him.  He said nothing but patted Xue on the shoulder.  Xue sighed and finally spoke his thoughts.  "You know, don't you, Zufu?"  "Know what, my sunzi?"  "You that Fuqin is marching toward his calamity at an alarming speed.  You know that every time something happens he gets closer.  In my heart, I know we are about to lose Mother.  I know Fuqin can survive, but I also know he doesn't want to live without her.  The children need him.  What can I do to help him?"  "I see that you already know that you are slowly stepping into his place in the lives of your siblings.  I was hoping he would at least be able to see those baby girls through their trial.  All I can tell you is be by his side.  Have a meeting with your siblings.  Don't include the babies.  You must be prepared for anything."  "I left Fuqin in the dragon den to rest.  I also noticed his hair took on more gray at his temples.  Zufu, I love my Fuqin dearly, but losing him is going to be very hard.  Very hard indeed!"  "I know.  If you could have seen your Fuqin's face when I left, you would understand it better.  Life happens and it ends.  We all come to that end.  I will be here for you.  Now go and talk to your siblings."  Xue jumped to his office to brood.   He had to calm this situation somehow.  He decided to keep things as they were for now.  In a few days Bai Chen Bo would be married and they could all take a rest.  He called Jinzi to come to him when he finished checking their mother.  He had a very bad feeling that he couldn't shake.