A Tear Frozen in Time

Memories

"Lord Ye Hua, is there a problem?" she asked staring straight back up at him and for a moment Ye Hua held her gaze which felt so unnerving that he hid it by dipping his head to bow. 

"Please forgive the intrusion, but I would like a word with you if I may." he said politely while also dipping his head at Guotin.

Her eyes glistened dangerously at him and for a moment she almost ordered him to leave them be but after her short dalliance with Mo Yuan, she thought better of it.  Also, she did not want the Demon Lord to see her as anything else but confident and gracious, so a small smile rose as she also dipped her head towards Ye Hua before turning back to the Overlord with an even wider smile.

"Perhaps we can finish this conversation in Qing Qiu.  Would you care to join me for diner in a couple of days?" she asked while ignoring the wide eyed glare from Ye Hua which Guotin also noticed, in fact, had he not been facing her, his expression may have also been just as incredulous.

No one had ever been invited into Qing Qiu, certainly no leaders and having assumed that she too might be against his people being from the dark realms, it was definitely a pleasant surprise to receive an invititaion that he doubted none of the others would be afforded least of all the Crown Prince.

"I would like that, thank you." Guotin dipped his head once again while also ignoring Ye Hua.  He had just managed to achieve something no other had, and for him the meeting was over, there was no need to remain any longer because she was the only one he had come for.  Raising his hand, he waited until she had placed hers within the palm, then lifting it to his lips, he pressed them down gently on the soft flesh while his eyes remained on her own which seemed to be sparkling with mirth.

"Until then Queen of Qing Qiu." he said in the same soft tone she was liking more and more.  His eyes too were sparkling though she gathered it was more because of Ye Hua whos very energy was becoming suffocating.

Feeling very pleased with himself, Guotin did not remain for the small banquet after that, instead he returned home to begin preparing a contract, one he hoped she would sign.

Waiting until he had moved away, her head slowly turned back to Ye Hua only to stare in confusion as he slowly moved forward.  His eyes had darkened, but what had her gaping openly and losing the confidence, were the tears in his eyes.  They had yet to fall, and rather than whip him with words of ice cold anger, she instead took a hesitant step back.

It was bad enough that Guotin had taken liberties with her by daring to kiss her hand in his presence, but the sight of a hellfire scar on her wrist that came into view when her arm was lifted had hundreds of years of memories with this woman erupting into his mind.

"Su Su...." he whispered as his hand came up to lightly stroke the rising blush that suddenly erupted.

But if he was surprised to be suddenly thrown back into the past, so was she.  And it wasn't from the way his hand had raised to touch her, but the sleeve of his black robe that lightly brushed her cheek as the tips of fingers lightly brushed her lashes.

In that valley of flowers were her fondest memories of Kunlun Mountain.  Her time in her special place was what gave her the incentive to remain, especially in those initial years and of course with Mo Yuans regular visits to check on Daojis progress, their own relationship bloomed.

As a male student, he kept himself in his role as her Shifu and never once stepped out of that role which he forced her to do as well even though at the time she had not known that he knew she was the girl in the valley of flowers.

And it was as a female that her love for her Shifu grew stronger.  Since that day he first kissed her, she continuously created ways to end up in his arms with his lips firmly pressed to her own and like her, Mo Yuan too fell hard.  Technically, she was old enough for marriage so neither of them saw anything wrong with the love affair that was beginning to blossom and between them both was Daoji who never failed to insert himself between them every chance he got.