The Water Sprite

Growth

"Water Sprite, do all men look at breasts and touch them?" she asked looking at the cascade wide eyed and confused.

This was the exact reason why Mo Yuan had refused to take her.  He knew a day would come when she would reach an age where questions regarding the activities between Men and Women would spill out of her unstoppable mouth.  It was also beginning to dawn on him, that her lessons under him would soon have to end. 

"Bai Qian, there are certain differences a woman has that men do not, these differences are more noticeable as you grow older.  Though, what happens between men and women is a private matter, and should never be shared outside of your den.  Do you understand?" he had asked her gently, which merely had her opening the front of her dress to peak down at herself and make him stare wide eyed at her stunned.

"What are you doing?' he asked forcing himself to look away as her dress opened just enough for her bare skin to show though.

"I want to see if looking at them does anything." she said so innocently and without any thought to what she was doing that Mo Yuan lowered his head in embarrassment for her even though she had no idea she was doing anything out of the ordinary. He could see, he would have to talk to her mother, seeing as they were not aware that she was far too aware and treating her questions as childish was not the way to go about satisfying her curiosity.

But the moment she pulled her dress down and asked him if he felt anything looking at her breasts with the most innocent of looks, Mo Yuan not only explained that showing her body so brazenly was not appropriate, he called an end to their lesson by informing her he was needed elsewhere for the day.  In fact it was two weeks before he returned.

Being a woman and self aware of the changes taking place in her body and not being subtle in the way she questioned everything or shared secrets best left at home, Mo Yuan began to think that perhaps their time together had come to an end.  It was becoming awkward and he felt he was no longer suitable to be teaching her.  She had already grown so much in knowledge and even her behaviour.  She rarely got herself into trouble, though when she did, it was always just as magnificent as it had always been, only there was much less of it.

She took the time to consider the consequences before committing herself to the mischief, and for the most part, she would stop herself in time, though now and then, the temptation proved too strong, and she would go ahead and end up in trouble, which always brought her to him crying the next day.  

Eventually she had moved on from asking him inappropriate questions, and had moved on to asking him questions that challenged even him. Her growth under him had been gradual, but eventually her mind began to seek knowledge from a adults perspective.

At seventy thousand years of age, she had come to him with questions on the Realms Leaders, who they were, how they ran their Realms and the politics involved in running a Realm.  And this was brought on because her father had begun to prepare her for her ascension to Queen of Qing Qiu as well as possible marriage alliances in order to strengthen her position.

"Water Sprite.  Why do I even have to marry?  Why can't I just rule my Realm without a husband?" she asked him one day.

"Marriage alliances are made to ensure the prosperity and safety of both Tribes Bai Qian." he had answered which merely earned him a scoff in return.

"We are wealthy enough, and as for safety, our magical barriers are impregnable." she had replied haughtily.  "Besides, marriages of convenience rarely suit the woman, the men are the ones who gain from them, not only would any future husband get a dowry, he will gain full access to our wealth and knowledge.  There is nothing a man can give me that I want, not when I already own everything a heart can desire." she had added so pompously he merely shook his head at her.  He could see was making herself angry just thinking about it.