A Trial by Halves

Paying Debts

"Emperor Bai, I understand what you are saying and was I in a postiion to seriously consider your request, I would gladly do so, however she attacked the Heavenly Ruler and almost killed him.  Nothing can save her now, not when The Heavens itself laid out the punishment for attacking its ruler.  Haode too has considered the possibility of lowering the punishment, but only a title would save her now which as you know, she does not have." he replied with just as much angst in his eyes as the Empress held in hers.

"And that is why I am here." Bai Zhi replied smiling and slowly putting one on his wifes face as the implication of his words began to sink in.

"Tell me what you have in mind." Lord Pua said with a growing smile of his own now that he too realized where Bai Zhi was taking their conversation.

For a further three hours they talked and the finer details of his proposition carefully considered until eventually a contract was drawn up and signed by both men.  And needing only one more signiture the three then left Lord Puas Palace for one other before a final visit to Haode himself.

________

For days, Cheng Yu had waited patiently to hear her fate.  And though Ye Huas command that she be left alone and unharmed was honoured, no one was allowed to visit her Palace other than the maids who brought her meals and quietly shared a little gossip with her before leaving her be, because like Lord Pua and everyone else that they knew, Cheng Yu was the life of the Celestial Heavens and so well liked that many had wept unashamedly at her predicament.

Not even Lian Song had come to see her, and the longer the wait played out, then the more concerned she became.  Not so much for herself, but for him.  Her mind had never once strayed too far from thoughts of him and knowing how uncompromising Haode could be, she knew that he too would be in trouble.

But to be left in the dark as to what was happening regardless of what the maids told her, was the hardest to bear.  She had learned that a war had taken place on Ruoshui River, but as for the outcome, she didn't even know that.  And nor was she aware of Ye Huas injuries, Bai Qians survival or even where little Er Li was.

The days had passed her by so slowly that she had no real choice but to either sleep it all away, or lose herself to the constant worry that never left her alone and being a soical butterfly who could never remain in one place for more than a couple of hours, the seclusion was almost killing her.  Even in the Mortal Realm with Ye Hua, she had more freedom that she did then but what she missed the most, was Lian Song.

She knew without a doubt that he would be there with her to the bitter end, so it was obvious that he too was being kept away from her and that would only be because of his high rank.   He might not be the Crown Prince, but he was the son of the current Ruler so therefore a man of status and seeing as she had almost killed his father, there was no possible way for him to get around the laws that he was also bound to.

She was an assassin and a wanted fugitive who had been left completely in the dark, so the moment a guard entered to make way for Lord Pua, she truly felt that not only had come to take her to her death, but she would be walking the final few minutes of her life alone.

Falling as gracefully as she could at his feet, she did not beg for her life, instead she greeted him most humbly before rising to her knees but keeping her head down.

"Lord Pua has come for me." she whispered in resignation and defeat.

"Indeed." he replied in a tone so soft, that she was momentarily thrown by it, considering a kind voice was not what she had been expecting.

Raising her eyes to look at him, they grew wider as Bai Zhi and the Empress stepped into the chamber.

"Stand up child." The woman said just as softly before taking her arm and forcing her to her feet.