Love Lost Through Time

EIGHT

Hei'er was running our direction with something beautiful in his hand. As he got closer I realized what was in his hand.

"Mother look! Me and Zheyuan caught this." He was so proud of his catch. Bai'er was a few steps behind.

"Hei'er, do you know what you have in your hands?" I ask casually. Obviously they didn't know but I just wanted to hear them take a guess.

"High goddess, let me go, high goddess." A child's voice spoke from the object.

"Ummm.... a fish." Hei'er said.

"No you idiot. It's a rock!" Bai'er said with confidence.

"Young prince Zheyuan! Who taught you to say such thing!" Liyu said with a power in her voice. Zheyuan stop in his steps towards us. He looked at Liyu then to me then back to Liyu.

"Mother." Zheyuan said as he walk toward me slunk down.

"Stop." I told him. Again he stop in his walks. "Liyu Furen is still your nainai, if she says something you must oblige."

Zheyuan begin to cry.

"Okay, okay. Just promise me you won't use that word again." Liyu said as she went to comfort him.

"I like this scene. You look like a caring mother." I complimented

"No matter what, I still can't marry the king."

"Every lady in the palace is the kings and every man belongs to the king. Everyone in the kingdom is the kings subject. Why do you resist?"

She didn't answer. Instead she stood there and waited. I let out a sigh.

"Zheyuan, you shouldn't say such thing to your brother. Look, what is in your brothers had is not a rock or a fish."

"What is it then?" Zhecheng ask.

"It's a pearl."

"A PEARL?!?!" Both the boys said in a surprise voice.

"I thought pearls can only be found in saltwater." Zhecheng questioned.

It was true, pearls are found in salt water, so what is this salt water pearl doing here.

"He must have wanted to see you." I said. "But you have to let it go back."

"Why?"Zhecheng and Zheyuan wasn't willing to let the pearl go.

"Because it wants to see its mommy." I approach them. "Just like you guys."

It took Liyu and I awhile before we were able to convince them to let the pearl back.

"Mother, but if I sell this pearl, I'll be rich." Zhecheng said.

"You're so smart. Who did you take after? It definitely wasn't me." I had ask.

"It was both Father and Mother." His cheek turn a bright pink as he smile.

"Did you also know that pearls are baby oysters. Just like an egg is a bird."

Their mouth drop in disbelief. As they turn to walk to the water to release the pearl back a group of soldiers dress in a thin layer of armor submerge from the water. They held a spar in their hand, pointing them to my sons. The soldiers around us were alerted when Liyu shriek. My group of soldiers held their swords out as the other group held out their spears. What was most horrifying was that my sons were in the middle.

"STOP!" I screamed. I was not going to have any blood shed. My hands was shaking and my heart trembled. But I tried my best to pull together. Amongst the chaos Liyu was able to slip through and defend princes.

"Who are you guys?" I question with anger in my voice.

"We're here to retrieve our prince." One of the soldiers said.

"Prince?" I stated.

" Yes. My son is here." A female voice spoke amongst the many soldiers. All the soldiers step to the side as a female general approached from behind.

"Queen." The soldiers said in union.

"Where's my son." The Queen ask. She was rather pretty. Tall, skinny, beautiful face, fair skin. Its just that all that hid behind her manly armor.

"I don't have your son." Liyu blurt out.

"Really? Because I can sense him here." She said half sarcastically. Fire was burning in her eyes. I finally knew who she was.

"Let's see... a human to speak to a God like me. Aren't you scared I will curse you forever?"

She was Queen Soyi, female Monarch of the western sea. She was the most feared queen on the 4 seas and of the 8 concubine. But her rank only scared those of the four sea, no where else.

"Soyi, how have you been? Last time i remember, you were only a High immortal, you weren't no god." I was more relax now I knew of her identity. She was taken aback.

"Who are you? Tell me or I'll have you killed."

"How dare you talk to Concubine Li in such manner. Do you have a death plea?" One of my solider called out.

"Concubine? You are beneath me in rank. Humans existence itself is below me. Kneel to me humans." She demanded. I scoffed.

"Kneel. You'll regret this. " She warned me as one of the soldiers had pointed their spar to Liyu's throat.

"You asked me for a name,okay, I'll give you a name." I said confidently.

"Your name human." She snared.

"Changxi."

"Changxi...(laughs) what a name." She mocked me. I, on the other hand was rather angered. She dares mock me? I glared at her as it sent her flying. Liyu and my sons stood still in fear. Soyi's eyes nearly popped out when she looked my way.

"Does my name ring a bell?" I question

I can see her thinking. "Cheng'er, Yuan'er, come here. Liyu, you too." Everyone on the queens side was still on the ground. Cheng'er, Yuan'er and Liyu quickly and carefully came my direction.

"Cheng'er, do you still have that pearl?" I ask him nicely. With his small hand, he extended his arm and I picked the pearl from his hand.
"Are you talking about this little fellow."
I gently place the pearl in my hand as I cup my hands together. Queen Soyi gasp. Her eyes was covered with fear in it as she quickly kneel and ask for forgiveness.
"Goddess, forgive me." Her voice tremble.

"Queen Soyi, I didn't know that you had come up to harm humans so often. I'll have to take talk to WangLong about this incident."

I recklessly toss the little pearl back to her.

I had took Liyu and my sons away. The soldiers behind us had put their swords away and followed us. I knew that I had created a problem and King Zhelan was not going to be happy. As we head back both Zhecheng and Zheyuan had fallen asleep. It was quite without the boys screaming their lungs out.

"Liyu, you saw what happen there, aren't you a bit carious?" I asked. She was silent. I didn't know how to keep talking.

"Eairler...." she responded. "Who was that?" Liyu looked me in the eyes. "She said she was a queen. Zhelan isn't married, he has no Queen, how could she say such a thing?" She slowly retrieve back.

"That person goes by the name Soyi. She is one of the Queen of the 4seas."

"So she's a God?"

"No. Just a Immortal."

"She called you Goddess. What dose she mean?"

I didn't hesitate when she ask me.

"I'm Goddess Changxi-"

"Owner of the moon and created of the star." Liyu finished my sentence. The fear struck her face.

"Don't be afraid."I said trying to ease her mind. "I won't hurt you."

"Goddess, forgive me if I offended you."