A Tear Frozen in Time

No Voice of Reason

Pacing his chamber while Zhe Yan listened to what had happened, his heart clenched when Mo Yuan got to the part where she had decided to finish the trial.

"I wasn't even allowed to see her, though I left a message for her.  Whether she gets it or not...." he trailed off with a shrug before finally sitting down having begun pacing the moment he returned.

"Then we just go back in there and drag her out again." Zhe Yan seethed angrily from across the room.

But something had changed.  What had surprised Mo Yuan more than being kept in a comfortable position when he knew Guotin would never have been treated as kindly had it been the other way around, was the mans lack of visible anger.  If anything, there was a tinge of sadness in his eyes at it all having come to this.  They had talked briefly, before he had been led to a private chamber, but other than an official declaration that Mo Yuan was going to be held until further notice, Guotin had not bothered to come and see him again, not even after he had been released.

Guotin had changed, he thought to himself as thousands of past skirmishes and unkind words passed through his mind.  It was difficult for him to think what it was about the man that seemed different, but he got the feeling that he had let go of all the past anger and just wanted to be left alone.

He had felt it in Qing Qiu too, only back then, Mo Yuan thought he was merely strategizing, playing the part of a bullied guest in order to win her affections, only what he had felt while his prisoner was almost a resignation as if he had lost her.  Which instantly had him realizing that the man had actually fallen for her.  And not only that, but Guotin seemed far less inclined to lose his temper, if anything, Mo Yuan was rather taken aback that he hadn't lost his life, because the old Guotin would have killed him on the spot.

Only he didn't of course, if anything, Guotin seemed to have resigned himself to what was never meant for him in the first place.  Only she had refused to return or at least leave the Demon Lands, and that only had to mean one thing.  She had fallen for him.

"No.  If this is her final decision, then so be it." Mo Yuan replied tiredly.

"Wha...." Zhen Yan stammered in disbelief.  "You're actually going to leave her with that man and those .... people" he spat while trying his damnest to control the anger he could feel rising.

"Yes."

"Mo Yuan, I did not go through all of that just to walk away.  I told her if she wasn't back within twenty four hours, then I would inform her father." he added seeing as they had already sent for him and he had every intention of joining Qing Qiu when they raided the Demon Lands, which he knew her father woud want to do.

"Then that is Qing Qius decision." Mo Yuan replied and just wanting to lying down and sleep.  He really was exhausted, the mini battle had taken the last of his reserves, and he knew if he didn't seclude himself soon, he would weaken even further and be of no use to anyone especially with Qing Cang still to deal with.

In disbelief and confusion, Zhe Yan glared at the man as if he had lost his mind.  These past three weeks, Mo Yuan and Bai Qian had taken up every single one of his thoughts.  To walk away now, seemed ludicrous not to mention dangerous, he could actually feel her and Qing Qiu slipping away, because truth be told, if she married that man, she wouldn't just lose the Celestials, she would also lose him.

"Mo Yuan listen to me." he pleaded.  "She loves you.  You didn't see her face when she left after our talk.  Whatever ill feelings she'd had before then, were all but shattered by the time I had finished with her and she had left here with only you in mind.  Please don't let her just walk away." Zhe Yan pleaded.