Daughter of Heaven

Chapter 13 - The Choice

Yu Zhu shuffled backwards,  her legs shaking as her eyes widdened with disbelief.  Her brother the Crown Prince Xu Long Hui, was pointing a glistening sword directly at her neck.

"Long Hui Gege...I" Words failed her as Yu Zhu felt the sharp cold rocks at her back. She was trapped. Long Hui's brows furrowed in pain, sweat dripped from his beautiful features onto the black silk robes. Behind him, floating like a translucent shadow, was the demoness. She was cackling delightfully, "Hurry, my dear little Long Hui. How much longer do you want to be my slave. To carry me in your heart, always?"

"No." Xu Long Hui gritted his teeth and tightened his hand on his sword until his knuckles cracked. He turned around in a fluid motion and grabbed the glowing red string that connected his heart to the Demoness. "If you threaten Yu Zhu, I will cut this string."

She hissed in anger, her fangs seemed to grow longer and longer, "You fool. I will torture you day and night. I will cause you pain unending. I will--"

"You will die, if I cut this string. Disintegrate into ash. If I die now, you'll never gain your true form. Is that what you want?" Long Hui was breathing heavily but he held his sword straight and true.

The demoness's chest heaved in anger, but as Long Hui's sword got closer to the thread and she screamed in frustration and dove into Long Hui's chest, returning with the red string straight into his heart.

The sword clattered to the ground as Long Hui fell, slamming  his knees on the ground. His tortured gasping filled the ice cold air. Yu Zhu hesitantly reached out a hand.

"No!" he cried, "Stay... stay away. She's still awake." He looked up at her. Yu Zhu backed away involuntarily, Long Hui's eyes glowed blood red. "Run. Zhu Er. Run."

Yu Zhu flew like the wind down the winding palace roads, tore through the garden of serenity and dove into her bed. She shut her eyes as she huddled under the thick comforters breathing in the scent of gardenias of her room, "it's all a dream," She whispered, her breathe warming her frozen lips, "it's all a dream. Please, let it be a nightmare." She clutched the silk covers like they were a shield between her and the nameless nightmares she saw tonight.

Sunlight filtered like living gold through the silken windows. Hua Er  opened the elegant redwood panel doors and gently parted the chiffon drapes. She gentle patted the little girl, "Princess, your brother is here to see you." Yu Zhu jerked awake. Hua Er was startled and sat down next to the young girl, "Yu Zhu, did you have a bad dream?" She asked as she wiped away the tears on the girl's face. "Tell me, what's wrong?"

Yu Zhu frowned as she sat up, "I dreamt that Long Hui had a demoness living in his heart. And it's hurting him for fun." Yu Zhu's eyes filled with tears, "I felt so bad that I couldn't help him. But I ran away because I was scared."

Hua Er hugged Yu Zhu, "Silly girl, you had a bad dream that's all." She smoothed down the girl's locks, "Now, get dressed, you said that you wanted to give your gift to Long Hui, but you didn't get a chance. He's here now and he wants to talk to you."

Yu Zhu smiled, reassured, "Okay." She twirled on her bed and frowned, "I thought I put his gift on the table, I don't see it." She shifted and looked for the silk bag that was lying on her dresser last night.

Hua Er smiled, "Never you mind, let's get you dressed. The Crown Prince has to address the royal assembly today, he's taken this time especially for you" Yu Zhu jumped up and smiled as Hua Er held out her favorite light rose pink robe.

"Royal Gege! Royal Gege!" Yu Zhu yelled as she ran into her main pavillion. She halted once she saw him and took a step back in fear. He was holding the gift that she wanted to give him. The silk gift she had dropped last night in the garden.