A Tear Frozen in Time

The Final Decision

"Qian Qian, I know things get said in the heat of anger, so I know you didnt mean what you said.  But he is your father, you owe him respect." she berated her calmly yet gently as was her way and leaving her daughter feeling very tired and in no mood for another round.

Dressed casually in a simple silk gown in pastel pink with her hair perfectly coiffered, her mother didn't really look that much older than her, in fact, of the two, her mother maintained her perfect beautiful features by remaining calm through almost every adversity.  It had been a very long time since the den had seen that level anger, yet even after sitting though a mini war that saw her daughter lose her temper to that extent , her mother still kept her regal elegance throughout the entire ordeal.  So to Bai Qians mind, if anyone deserved respect, it was her.  

"Mother, It's just a marriage trial.  I'm not actually going to marry him.  This is strategy.  Why can't father see that?" she asked now letting the tears fall having fully exhausted herself.

"Marriage is not a game Qian Qian.  If you have any amount of feelings for the man, then a marriage trial would be appropriate, but using him to gain an advantage over what is our enemy,  is not the way to go about it.  Surely you can see that?" she asked keeping her voice and tone soft while maintaining an air of superiority that always made her feel inadequate.

 "I know its not a game.  But we are going to war.  I need to know what manner of man I will be going up against, and Im not so naive as to think he won't be doing the same thing.  In fact, I would be very surprised if he wasn't, but I want to do this.  Its my only real chance at getting a closer look at him for myself while also learning as much as I can about him, how he runs things, his army and anything else I can gain knowledge from." she replied because to her mind this war strategy, and an opportunity she couldn't pass up.  

"That is all good and well.  But this is a marriage trial Qian Qian.  Marriage to each other will be what he will be expecting at the end of it.  Can you honestly play him along like that?  Just to gain a few points over him?" she asked because to her mind, her daughter just wasn't seeing the bigger picture.

"I know that." she replied in a small voice before lowering her head to gather her thoughts for what she was to say next.  Like her father and brothers, her mothers opinion meant everything to her, and of the worlds entire population, she was the only person who could stop this arrangement with just one word.  She was the only one she would concede to on the matter so what she had to say next would determine whether she could go ahead with it or not.

"He's not so bad mother." she began quietly with her hands in her lap and her head down.  "I've met with him twice now, and he seems to be genuinely nice.  He was very gracious towards me when I visited his Realm, and being the only World Leader to do so is a real shame, because his people are also genuinely nice.  If we were to find common ground, marriage would not be so bad, because I deem him a friend already.  And being the Overlord of the largest Tribe under us, then a union would safe guard us both for all time." she replied before falling silent and waiting for her mothers pearls of wisdom to either shatter the dream or make it.

"And what of Mo Yuan?  He has already approached your father, and his proposal was accepted.  Are you turly willing to let him go?  To make an enemy of him?" she asked just as quietly and to Bai Qians keen senses, there was a touch of sadness in that question.

"It was a proposal I had no say in.  And besides, I repayed my debt to him, so I owe him nothing.  What happens now nust be my choice...." 

"Can you honestly say that you do not love him?" she asked as her hand came up to gather her chin in the palm of her hand, before forcing her head up to look at her.