Love Lost Through Time

FORTY-NINE

"On the battle field, Changxi single handily slay the head witch." Yuwang stopped in his speech as he cleared his throat. Everyone knew how love struck Yuwang became with Changxi since their engagement but only his father, the emperor knew how love struck he was since the first time he saw her.

"On the battle field with the witches, Changxi.." A tear fell from his eyes as he spoke again. "Changxi took her last breath."

Everyone gasp in shock.

"Everyone may leave." The emperor said. Everyone but Yuwang left, with his head still facing the ground.

"Before you are the crown prince, you are still a man." The emperor said after everyone left the room. His father approached him and helped him up.

"Stand, quickly." The Emperor said with a hand held out. "I am your father before anything else. It's okay to cry."

With just those few words, a soft sob could be heard in the quite halls. The sky grew dark, as the sob grew louder.

"She said, if we make it out alive, she'll marry me, give me her whole heart. She said she wouldn't try to push me away again, that she'll love me back."

The emperor's heart broke into pieces as he watch his son cry over the loss of Changxi, his first ever lover.

"Wipe away those tears."The emperor said. "i'm sure she wouldn't want you to cry over her death but rejoice."

"I-" As soon as Yuwang was going to speak, Lord Baiyu came bursting through the door.

"Emperor! Emperor!" He stop to catch his breath.

"Whats the matter?" The emperor asked in a loud voice.

"Changxi,...Changxi, she-" Lord Baiyu tried to talk in between his breath before the Emperor cut in.

"I already know. Changxi,.." The Emperor respond as he took a quick peak at his son. "She enter the Realm of Nothingness." he continued. "Prepare to send her off."

"No" Lord Baiyu said as he finally caught his breath. "Changxi, she's not dead."

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"What are you guys doing?"

A voice was heard in the courtyard. It wasn't a loud or scary voice but it was enough to give them fear.

"Empress, they are boys, they are bound to be naughty."

"Gui mama, because you defend them so much, they've been spoiled."

"Jie, i was just-"

"Jie, Zheyuan told you about my location last night right?" Zhecheng cut in.

"Maybe he did, maybe he didn't so what. What really matter is whether you really like that whore at the brothel."

"She's no whore, she-" His words were cut short when a pretty lady appear in the distance. Slowly as she got closer, his eyes squint with his eyebrow knitted together.

"Lass!" Zhecheng said in a surprise voice. Eager to take a step forward, he came to an halt.

"Why didn't you tell me the lady you had your eyes on was the oldest daughter of the Mu family." Xiaoxin asked. 

"Although she is but an illegitimate child, she is still part of the Mu family."

"Empress. Prince Zheyuan and Zhecheng, Mu Tanxi greets you three. " Mu xiaojie bow as she said her greetings.

"Okay, i wont stay around anymore, i still have to attend the morning meeting." Xiaoxin said as she prepared to leave.

"Wait."  Zhecheng called out, stopping her sister. "Here." Zhecheng said as he took off the necklace."Take it, its nothing, just some useless thing but, it is just too pretty to toss it. Maybe you can put it on a gold chain and wear it."

Xiaoxin just smiled as she continue to walk away.

Zheyuan saw the necklace that was in his brother hand. Unaware, Zheyuan reach up to his neck, making sure his was still on him before saying anything. But before he could say anything, his brother had already reached out to his lady.

"How are you here?"Zhecheng asked.

She just shook her head as she smiled sweetly at him.

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"What do you mean shes not dead?" Yuwang ask hastily. 

"Changxi, she still has a part of her that is still alive." Lord Baiyu replied.

"You mean to say..."

"Changxi, if we can find out where she still linger, we could revive her."

"Where she lingers."Yuwang couldn't understand where Lord Baiyu was getting at until he mention 4 particular pieces.  Yuwang then understood.

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"Ge, you have one too?"Zheyuan asked as the night sky was now filled with many stars and the moon shining bright. 

"What? Oh this weird thing. You can have it."Zhecheng relied before pulling out the necklace and tossing it at ZheYuan. 

"No, its just that i have one as well." Zheyuan replied.

"You have one as well?"

"Mmm"He responded as he pulled out the necklace from inside his shirt. The two necklace were identical, as if they were crafted to belong to each other.

"Where did you get yours? This morning when i woke up, i saw it laying under my cloth."

"Same, when i woke up this morning, i saw it on my dresser. It was softly glowing."

"Like a heart beat right?"

"YES LIKE A HEARTBEAT!" Zhecheng shouted in bewilderment.

The hair on their neck stood up. They were amazed for a second but it quickly turn scary as they realize their surrounding was getting dark. The star was out and the moon was full, there wasn't much guards around to make them feel comfortable. They started to scoot in closer to one another. 

From behind, footsteps could be heard from behind them. As soon as they both turn, there was nothing there. They sigh in relief, but as they turn back around, their sister was standing right in front of them. They nearly scream like a girl.

"Whats wrong?You guys seem paranoid, like you seen a ghost." She said teasing them.

But Xiaoxin's eye caught the sight of the necklace. Dazzled by the look of the necklace she reached out to it.

"This necklace, its very pretty during the night. It shines just like the star in the sky." Xiaoxin didn't know why but she couldn't take her eyes off of it. Her heart started racing and she felt her ears get red, and still she didn't know why.

"Jie." Zheyuan called out. 

"Jie?" Zhecheng asked.

Xioaxin.

She held her breath as the voice was coming from around her, at least that's what she thought. She looked to her left then to the right, then to her brothers.

"Jie, are you okay?" Zheyuan asked as his face was cover in confusion.

"I'm fine."She respond as she let go of the necklace wrap around her brothers neck.

"That necklace is pretty, i'm sure it will look good on Lady Mu." Xiaoxin said to take her mind off of the voice she just heard.

"Jie, you must be kidding. This glass bead  is placed on worn out brown leather cord, i don't think she'll like it." Zhecheng said with a light chuckle. but Xiaoxin smiled and replied;

"Who said to give it to her like that? Silver looks better on a lady then gold does."