The Water Sprite

A Birthday Gift

20,000 years ago

Reaching the bottom of the steep stair case, Bai Qian looked back.  "Someone is going to break their neck on those stairs." she whispered softly to herself as her eyes rose higher towards the top.  

She could hear the laughter and gaiety from where she was, but the thought of returning to look for her brother was just as abhorrent to her as his friends.  She knew she should have at least made an effort to know them, but the fact they had literally jumped on her so brazenly like a  pack of gorillas, especially the one called Chang, without considering that she was uncomfortable among strangers and needed a little space, had her turning her back on them.   

It was exactly men like him that put her off wanting to meet the rest.  She may not have had a lot of personal experience with men, but she fully understood the looks of lust. But the way some chose to openly touch her, revolted her.  As a Queen, one who ranked above most of them, they had no respect for her position, all they saw was a fair face.  They cared nothing for her likes or dislikes, what she thought about their lands and the way they ran them, and they certainly didn't care about hers, her people or even her family.

Though she did stop to think about the Heavenly Lord.  It was rude of her to leave without at least wishing him a happy birthday, so she did feel some guilt, but the anger at her brothers friends and him overrode it.  

Now turning back towards the way she had come, she slowly began to make her towards what she hoped wasn't another set of closed doors.  The Celestial corridors were a maze of twists and turns, that to a new arrival, finding ones way could be daunting.  Though had Bai Zhen explained that the Grand Hall was at the centre of the Celestial Heavens, which could be seen, no matter where you were, finding ones way, actually wasn't that difficult.

While in the corridors, you merely had to keep the Grand Halls staircase at your back and you would eventually find your way to the main entrance.  There were also maids that would pop out of nowhere, or you could try to enter any of the private residences to get a guards attention, though it was a risk one wouldn't want to take unless desperate.  The private guards were trained to kill anyone who tried to force their way in.

But none of that was on her mind, as she thoroughly lost herself once again.  Though this time, she was not fearful of being caught or found.  The walk was actually pleasant and being in a higher energy, it was also calming.  Passing by several private residences, she stopped to read the names above the archways.  Many of them like Taichen Palace, were known throughout the world, though the memory of meeting Di Jun at her Coronation brought a smile to her lips.  She had liked him, even though he stood apart from the rest, was aloof and said little.  He was exactly as he had been described.  Powerful, knowledgeable, a little arrogant but without the aftertaste, aloof but not rude and he said exactly what he thought while leaving you feeling as if he too liked you.

Now aimlessly roaming about the corridors, she began to regret leaving the Grand Hall.  It was becoming obvious that she was going to have to draw attention to herself to get out of the maze, though not overly worried yet, she did pick up the pace.  

Thankful for the brightly lit corridors, she continued to follow wherever they led in hope that eventually she would find herself at the main entrance or at least run into a maid to guide her again.  Though thinking about the last maid, her lips thinned angrily.  It had been so unfair on both her and the Heavenly Lord, that she was began to think it was silly for her to have come.  He was so revered, to have been reduced to nothing more than fodder for degrading gossip, when the man had been nothing but kind and honorable made her mad all over again.