A Tear Frozen in Time

Trial of Three

Dinner that night had to be the most unusual ever held in the den in all the centuries it had been in existence, though why her mother had agreed to Mo Yuans presence was still a topic of contention which Bai Qian swallowed back along with the green beans and savoury mushrooms that Guotin had cooked for them.  In fact she definitely would be gushing over his cullinary skills had her mother not insisted that the first dinner be held in the den with her entire family present  seeing as it would be considered rude if he had taken her out instead which he had planned to do.

And for a moment, she considered that her mother was also playing games with them by allowing Mo Yuan to stay, but after a little deliberation, she knew her mother would never stoop that low but she knew she was up to something and being the Queen meant nothing when her mother decided on something.  If anything, she was merely keeping the peace, because to kick Mo Yuan out would have caused a split between the two Tribes which her mother would not allow, or at least not yet.

Watching her daughter carefully and the way she seemed to slide closer to Guotin,  was exactly why she had allowed Mo Yuan to stay.  It might have seemed unethical, but keeping the peace went far beyond her own den.  Her daughters temperament was far too volatile and being the Queen of a much envied Realm, placed her daughter in  both a favourable and unfavourable position, especially when it came to men like Mo Yuan and Guotin who were both on equal footing in terms of rank and position.

But she was the Queen of Qing Qiu and despite her fathers warning, her title could not be reversed.  Therefore, keeping both men in the den, meant both could be observed while their obvious outright animosity could be contained to the den and therefore controlled while at the same time allowing her daughter save face and perhaps finding a more appropriate way forward wtih both men which she doubted would happen, but with war looming, it was best to have friend and foe close regardless.

Her daughter might not understand this, but her mother was just as much the strategist as the two men and even far more so than her daughter who seemed hell bent on starting a war she was still trying to understand.  And having a very strong intuition, she believed Mo Yuan was not the only reason why, but he was certainly a catalyst.

Now watching on as Mo Yuan picked up a little tofu and placed it into her bowl, she waited with baited breath to see how she would react seeing as Guotin was also ladling food onto the steadily growing pile that not even her father could manage to eat, it was just too much for one person.

"Here Qian Qian.  You don't like this, but it is good for your health.  You're far too skinny and this is nutritious." Mo Yuan said smiling as his chair was then scooted a little closer to her and the smile on his face grew wider at the narrowed ones that turned to glare at him.

Furious that Mo Yuan knew her preferences and managed to voice his own concerns before him, Guotin was not going to be outdone.  Picking up a little celery which was something he knew she did like seeing as she had eaten that first, he held it to her mouth rather than place it in her bowl.

"Here my dear.  Tofu is certainly rich in protein, but celery, which you do like, is also rich in fibre." he said softly and before she could utter a word, he thrust the little piece into her mouth which instantly had her jaw clamping down onto it.  Not because she favoured it more over the other, but out of reflex.

Quickly snatching up a piece of cabbage, Mo Yuan just as quickly placed it at her mouth which surprisingly opened along with her large doe like eyes, that were on her mother rather than the two men who were openly vying for her attention.

"Here Qian Qian.  Do you remember the day I caught you eating a whole cabbage straight out of the garden when you were little?  You loved it more than sweet buns." Mo Yuan said a little too harshly as his eyes flicked menacingly at Guotin.