Fresh Embers of Love

Chapter 59

The Flower Immortal Guihua woke up in yet another strange place. She lay on an enormous bed, covered with sheets made of gold cloth, in a cavernous room of marble. She was clothed in Runyu's cloak, underneath which she could feel the tattered remains of her dress.

She tried to roll over, but was held in place by a heavy weight on her left shoulder. She looked down.

"Kuanglu?" she asked in confusion.

Kuanglu was there, laying beside her, her head resting on Guihua's shoulder, her arm laying on Guihua's torso. She was deeply asleep. Guihua blinked, staring around in puzzlement. Her surroundings were just too unexpected.

"Are you awake?" came the whispered voice of Runyu. He entered through a door in front of her.

"Runyu, where am I?" she whispered back.

He smiled at her. "These are my chambers at the Empyrean Cloud Palace" he told her.

Guihua frowned, looking around. "This doesn't seem like your taste" she commented in a quiet voice.

"It's not" he laughed. "This was my Father's room" he told her.

Kuanglu stirred, making a mewing sound, nuzzling in to her shoulder, before falling back into deep sleep.

Guihua looked down at Kuanglu, and then back at Runyu questioningly. He shrugged.

"You were having a nightmare" Runyu said. "Kuanglu held you, and it stopped. So she just kept holding you until she fell asleep on you. She's really tired, poor thing. She worked so had to round up all of the conspirators while you were asleep."

Guihua heard a note of tenderness in Runyu's voice that she had never heard before while talking about Kuanglu. She looked at him, trying to really see him.

"You love her" she said. It was not a question.

Runyu looked surprised. He frowned thoughtfully.

Guihua nodded sadly, closing her eyes. A huge weight settled on her chest, crushing her. She felt a tear escape her from underneath her closed lid, and trail down the side of her face into her hair. She had been replaced.

"Don't cry, Guihua" Runyu begged her, getting on his knees beside the bed and grabbing her free hand. "We've got the conspirators rounded up. Nuwa and Fuzangloong are safe at Dongting Lake. You're here safe with us, and I'll never let you out of my sight again! I will hunt Uncle down to every corner of the Six Realms. We are so close to this being over!" He professed.

"And then what?" Guihua asked.

Runyu shrugged again. "Then we will see."

Guihua frowned. Kuanglu stirred again, squeezing her waist tightly. She sniffed at Guihua's hair, and sighed happily.

"Sometimes I think Kuanglu likes you, more than she does me" Runyu commented, frowning. "She doesn't seem that comfortable when she's with me..."

Guihua laughed at his discomfiture. Kuanglu awoke finally.

"Flower Immortal, I'm so sorry!" Kuanglu apologized, sitting up. She wiped her face where some saliva had pooled while she was sleeping.

"Do you like the way I smell?" Guihua asked her curiously.

"Of course!" Kuanglu replied, her cheeks turning pink. "Everyone likes your smell."

Guihua smiled. Kuanglu had always been sweet to her. Kuanglu couldn't help being madly in love with the Emperor. Guihua was surprised there weren't more women fawning over him. She sighed. Why was it so hard to dislike the woman who was replacing her?