A Trial by Halves

A Moment in Time

"You don't need to say anymore.  I know why." she replied sadly because her father had not consulted her on the matter even though she understood it.  Lian Song had been Ye Huas favourite uncle, and though he had tried to do his best for them during her trial, in the end, he was still a Celestial and thought like one.  He might have Ye Huas back most of the time, but when it came to the laws of Heaven, he bowed like everyone else.

And so the meeting between the two women was kept brief seeing as Mo Yuan was keeping all visits brief, though Ci Hang got a little more time because he was the one that Ye Hua respected just as much as his Grandfather and one that Mo Yuan owed a debt to for keeping his brother safe.

Words were kept to a minimum, just his visit alone was enough to satisfy Ci Hang and give Ye Hua a little more moral support from home.  And it was home that they did talk about because the maids had been kept very busy preparing his Palace for his return, only Ye Hua had made it very clear that he was not ready to return.

"I will be visiting Qing Qiu once I have enough cultivation to see me through the coming months." he explained only to meet resistance.

"Your place is back in the Celestial Heavens.  You have paid your debts and the slate is now clean.  Your obligations ...."

"Are to my wife and child." Ye Hua finished for him and he meant it.  He had never wanted to be the Crown Prince, and had only taken the oath because at the time he believed he had no choices open to him.  

"Ye Hua.  You have yet to be formally married to her.  A Mortal Realm wedding...."

"Is legal under Qing Qius laws and as their son in law, I accept it as such.  I am married to her and that is final." he finished for him again while ignoring the sigh and shake of his Shifus head.

"Ye Hua!" Ci Hangs voice deepened a little in annoyance.   "You know the people will never allow it.  The Crown Princes marriages is a public and legal affair.  You must go through the official ceremony or she can never be accepted as your legal wife." he reminded him and he was right.  

For the longest moment, he merely sat there staring at him while also very grateful that she was not in the room to hear this conversation, because after her last outburst, the last thing he wanted to do was witness another.  And though he was loathe to argue against him, he knew it would be a waste of time.  

But even though she would have to go through the motions of an official wedding, that did not mean she would accept the Celestials way of life.  They had already discussed between themselves that she would only appear in the Celestial Heavens for official duties and only when he was made the Skylord and nor was she willing to give up her title of Queen of Qing Qiu just yet either.  

That meant, she would be staying in Qing Qiu until the time came to hand it over to Feng Jiu or even their son, they were not sure yet.  But it did mean that he too would be spending his time between both Realms once his brother had deemed him fit enough to leave.  But how to explain all of this to his mentor who was still waiting for an answer.

And as if on cue, Er Li entered the chamber in search of his mother which instantly had Ye Hua pounding on him.  

"Er Li, you're just in time to meet my mentor Lord Ci Hang." he grinned down at the boy who was still bleary eyed from sleep and too hungry to care.

But his little arms did come up to respectfully greet a man he had a vague memory of.

"My son is hungry...." Ye Hua stated flatly and no longer wanting to discuss what was a difficult conversation and one he would have to discuss with Bai Qian before he agreed to anything.  If there was one he understood all too clearly,  that was his wife would not allow him to make any big decisions regarding them without her input and this was something Ye Hua was more than happy to share.