The Emperor's Concubine

20.

The time for departure was on the night of a lunar eclipse and there seemed to be an eclipse the next night. It was sad to know that she was leaving and Lixing Ji kept it a secret that was only known by Rei, Lynne and his trusted guard.
Lixing Ji felt a heavy burden as he watched her bask in the light of the eclipse. She had worn what she wore when she fell from the sky into his roof.
"I want to tell you something before you leave." Lixing Ji said and walked towards her. He held both her hands and kissed them. "Before you came into my life, I felt nothing was worth my love but, being with you had turned my world around. You've occupied the space in my heart and my heart is really small, you're the only one that can contain it and that space will always be filled with your memories." He said. "I love you, Fortune!" He confessed and she felt touched.
"Thank you! Your memories shall always fill my heart. But, you don't have to feel so down. I will find my way back and I will return to you. Just wait for me. I love you!" She proclaimed and they kissed.
Lixing Ji waved at her as she took out the big book and opened it. That same magic circle appeared below her and as they were about to disappear, Sage ran out of the magic circle and chased after a yarn.
"Sage!" Fortune called out as she disappeared. Sage couldn't make it and had to stay with Lixing Ji in this world. "That cat will be the end of me!" She said whilst shaking her head. As expected, she landed on the same spot she left but strangely, it all looked desame.
The plants had not started shedding their leaves, which meant that autumn was still around the corner.
She quickly ran home. She got homd and searched for her grandpa.
He was simply taking a nap on his rocking chair and was startled when he heard Fortune calling him.
"Grandpa!" She embrassed him and he laughed.
"I presume you had a lot of fun. How did you spend the last one and a half year?" He asked and it shocked Fortune.
"One and a half year?"
"Yes! I hope you didn't cause any trouble where you went to." He said and she shook her head vigorously. "So where is the little fella? She didn't want to come back?" He asked further
"She got stuck there...wait a second, you knew?" She asked surprised and he gave her a knowing smile. "How?"
"It was your destiny and I presume, you've met your soulmate but why did you come back?" At the mention of that, Fortune grew sad.
"I missed you grandpa, and I didn't want you to worry so much. I came back, despite knowing that he would miss me so much and I will miss him as well." She looked up at him. "But I won't give up. I'll try my best to make up for all these time I've wasted and then, I'll go back to him." She said with so much confidence.
"That's the spirit. I have only one advise for you. Never sit on the side and watch the world as it works, jump into the action. Don't let the world pass through you, pass through the world and live every moment to the fullest." He concluded. If this was said to her before, she probably wouldn't have understood, but now that she had experienced what she had experienced, it was all clear to her and she kept the saying in her mind and her heart.
She went to her room and looked round, it was just as she left it but it looked a bit dusty.
"So that means the few months I stayed in the ancient times was actually so long in the modern time." She started unpacking and in the process, found a box. She looked at it a little puzzled and wondered when it got into her bag. She slowly opened it to reveal a phoenix hairpin. It was meant to be worn by the empress, so if it was with her, then that meant that Lixing Ji was planning to keep the position of the empress vacant until she got back. She held it close to her heart and smiled.
"Lixing Ji, how dare you surprise me like this? I will certainly not be left out. I'll get you for this and certainly surprise you beyond your imagination.
Later on, Fortune got into college. Her grandpa died after a year and so she had to fend for herself. Her grandpa left her his inheritance and that lessened her burden. She still had to do part time jobs and enjoyed technology and libraries to the fullest.
During this time, she never let a guy touch her or give them a chance to ask her out. Her simple answer was, 'my heart belongs to someone already' then she would smile and walk away. It was too bad for the modern guys because none of them could match up to the infamous emperor that had stolen her heart.
She led her life in the modern world for five years. She turned 23 and was no longer the little and silly girl that Lixing Ji would tease.
*Ancient times*
Lixing Ji was busy rubbing Sage's fur at the gazebo that Fortune had confessed to him. He really missed her a lot. He got up from there and moved towards the spring where they had gone. Beautiful flowers grew besides the rock where she had carved their names. He touched the rock and the memories of their times together there, played before his eyes.
"Sage, when do you think that silly little girl will come back?" He asked
"Meow!" Sage answered and he smiled at her.
"Its been a year, I wonder if she's doing alright."
Meanwhile, Fortune had already arrived in the ancient times. She wanted to surprise Lixing Ji and secretly looked for Rei and Lynne. She couldn't find Rei because she had already become one of Yan Zhou's concubines. There were three in total and she was glad, just as long as he didn't neglect her.
Lynne was very happy to see Fortune and helped her to dress up in a very beautiful dress, one that would match the phoenix hairpin perfectly.
Fortune suspected that Lixing Ji might have been in the spring and went there alone.
Sage caught her sent and jumped out of Lixing Ji's arms and ran towards her. Lixing Ji wondered where she was going as she was very hostile with everyone other than him. She didn't like any other person and always stayed with him.
"You're a good girl. Did you miss me? I hope Lixing Ji was treating you well!" She said as she tickled her.
'That voice!' Lixing Ji turned to see a very unexpected person. "Little girl?"he exclaimed and looked at her surprised.
With all the excitement, she wanted to just jump on him and hug him really tightly but restrained herself.
"Can you ask my what my name is?" She asked feigning a frown.
"Okay, what is your name?" "That's much better." She smiled "My name is Fortune!" She stretched her hand to shake him and after he introduced himself, he stretched his hand to shake hers but she dropped it.
"No!" She said "This is not our first meeting, so therefore, we result to this." She hugged him and he hugged her back.
"So what is this called?" He asked
"Its called a friendly greeting. When two people who haven't seen each other for a long time meet, they do this. I missed you."
"I missed you too!"
"You like my surprise?" She asked pulling out from the hug
"I love it and, I love you!"
"I love you too." She responded with a heartwarming kiss.
"So, will you be my empress little girl?" He asked and she chuckled.
"Not little girl anymore. I'm 23 years old now." She said to him and he stared at her amazed. How time flies. "And yes, I will be your empress." She accepted. He carried her and spun round. "I can't wait to see the looks on the faces of those concubines, hehehe. This is going to be fun!"
Lixing Ji shook his head.
"You might no longer be little, but you're still silly."
"By the way, for the phoenix hairpin, I can't leave you unpunished. I shall punish you tonight." She smiled with so much meaning. He looked at her and immediately understood what she meant.
That night, Fortune wore a very beautiful and sexy night wear. She sat on the bed and waited for him there. When he came in, he saw her sitting so relaxed and ushered him in. This kind of temptation could never be resisted as he walked towards her. He leaned over and kissed her.
"You're a naughty boy!" She said as he gently stripped her. "Be gentle, this is my first time!" She warned and he nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll take very good care of you." He said and she chuckled