A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

Priorities

(DAYU)

"Luncheon is served. Get up and lets eat together. You cannot spend your whole day hiding in our room, Dayu." Captain Wang sat on the side of the bed and gaze down at me as I lie on my back and stare at the ceiling of our four poster bed.

I moved sideways and turned my back on him. "I can't seem to get up." I said, my voice croaking like that of a frog. I cannot summon the energy to do anything but think about every mistakes I did that hurt my cousin.

"You have to at least eat. You might get sick if you continue on this path, my heart." Captain Wang put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Dayu ah..."

"Where is Hua? Did she leave again to spend time with LiAn?" I mentioned our daughter to distract myself from thinking about Mei.

"She left early to go to Jiang Estate." Captain said.

That made me sit up. "Hua is in Mei's home?" What should I think about that?

"We talked last night. Hua mentioned wanting to be there for her cousins. She will look after ShuYin and ZhouLin today. She said she missed playing with them."

My heart hummed at that. "She is a better person and cousin to ShuYin and ZhouLin than I'll ever be for Mei." I feel proud of my daughter. Hua might be stubborn but her heart has always been in the right place.

"Don't say that. I know how much you love Mei," Captain Wang gently caress my arm.

I frowned as I looked at him. "You didn't go to work,"

"Yes and no," Captain Wang smiled at me. "I didn't go to the palace today but I am still working. Reading documents and signing papers. All the things I couldn't do because I was busy inspecting facilities, bunkers and the soldier trainings. Sitting down, reading and signing things are part of being a general too. I just decided to do them all here."

I look down at my hands resting on my lap. "To be with me. You are here to guard me as I hide here in our room."

"Well, someone need to look after you. Hua wanted to do it but in the end, she decided ShuYin needs her more. Dao couldn't because well...he is useless as a son to us." Captain Wang laughed at his own humor. I narrowed my eyes on him. My lover sighed, "Lets stop kidding ourselves, Dayu ah. Dao did something wrong, he is wrong and we should be mad at him."

"We are mad at him,"

"Not mad enough apparently because we are worried for him as well. But I think Hua has a point, her twin wronged us and we should be planning on punishments for Dao, not a welcome feast when he gets home."

I scoffed, "I'm not planning a welcome feast for your son," I grumbled in irritation.

Captain Wang chuckled. "I miss him too. And Hua missed him too. But I will still strip away every weapon in Dao's hands when he gets back home. And you better not let him out of this house for at least a month as his punishment. Bore the boy to tears."

"I will," I nodded to agree with him.

Captain Wang took my hand in his. "Alright, the issue with Dao is over. Now lets discuss our other child. Hua is practicing with her instruments and she said she might try singing. I think it's good that instead of blades, your daughter is holding a harp."

I frowned, "Just how many topics did you and Hua discussed last night?"

"A lot," Captain Wang smiled at me. "And I feel good about our talk. It has been a long time since I get to sit down with Hua without us fighting. It was a nice change. If you and Dao were there, it'll be just like old times when the four of us are together and just doing what we do as a family. In peace..."