No Light: 3 Lives, 3 Worlds , Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms AU

Part 6: Unexpected Visitor

Ye Hua landed on the green near the Fox Den, his eyes scanning the surroundings. He was looking for his missing fiancée, the woman who had left him once more without warning. As soon as he'd suspected Bai Qian of abandoning him once more to the pitying glances of the other immortals, he'd wanted to give chase but duty forbade a quick exit.

Ye Hua had had to stay for the festivities, partaking of the Easter Sea King's hospitality overnight before making his excuses this morning. By then, Bai Qian was long gone, most likely having made her way back to Qing Qiu. So, he was here, his eyes searching in the crisp morning light as he made his way to the cave. The steadiness of his steps revealed nothing of the turmoil bubbling inside of him.

"Halt! Who goes there?" a voice called out from behind him.

Ye Hua stopped a small distance from the cave, turning to view a being in brown and green racing his way.

"This is Bai Qian, Qing Qiu's Queen, fox den, our most venerated Gugu," the man intoned gravely from a distance, his chest puffed out, even as his head was respectfully bowed. "No one can come near her cave without her permission." The being looked up and did a double take on seeing who was standing there. "Oh, Crown Prince Ye Hua, how can I be of help?" the tone changed immediately, a hint of welcome now present.

Ye Hua gazed quietly at the man, and then stated, "I am here to see your Gugu. Go to her and ask her if she is willing to receive me."

He bowed deeply once more. "Gugu didn't tell me she was expecting you," he said hesitantly.

"And you are?"

"Migu," he responded, "The tree spirit that has served the Fox Clan since the beginning of my existence."

"But I heard that Migu was supposed to be on vacation," Ye Hua pointed out. "At least that was what we were told yesterday. If you're the same Migu, you came back?"

"I couldn't just leave," Migu replied defensively. "Gugu abandoned her groom on their wedding day, but I couldn't just abandon her." He stiffened, a look of consternation appearing on his face when he realized he'd said those words in front of the abandoned groom in question.

Ye Hua's face showed no emotions.

Relaxing slightly when he realized that the Crown Prince was not angry, Migu offered in an apologetic tone, "I didn't want her to be alone, so I came back.".

"Your Gugu forgot to tell you that I would be arriving." Ye Hua continued after a small pause, "She probably didn't think that I would arrive. Would you announce me?"

"Gugu is no longer here," Migu answered, silently wondering why Ye Hua wouldn't already know this.

"It seems that your Gugu isn't ready to see me, Migu," Ye Hua stated calmly. "You know that we must see each other." He waited for Migu's nod of understanding before continuing. "The more we get to know each other now, the easier it'll be for her later on. So, tell me where she is." Ye Hua wasn't prone to confiding in complete strangers, especially since he had a hard enough time disclosing anything to those close to him, but he knew that if he backed off now, their wedding might never happen. For some reason, that thought caused an unexpected pang.

"You're not angry at Gugu for leaving you behind?" Migu asked cautiously, his eyes intent on Ye Hua's face.

"I wasn't angry before, I'm not angry now," Ye Hua replied wryly. "There is a precedent. The Heavenly Emperor was sent to stay with his future wife's family when he was young. It gave them time to know each other before their marriage. It's the same now, for the same purpose," Ye Hua softly explained the rationale for his insistence. And if that logic was only a façade to hide the very real need that was driving him, then no one need know that but him.