Rivers of Fate

(Prologue) Upon One Shore

"Is she still teething?" he heard his mother ask.

The queen sighed. "Yes, she was awake half the night crying. I tried using a frozen cloth as you'd suggested. It worked well but only for so long."

Teething?

Wanfeng shoved some of his fingers into his mouth and rubbed the edges of his teeth. The whimpering stopped. He looked over his knuckles to see the baby staring right at him. But after a moment, she started whimpering again. Wanfeng cocked his head. Could he fix the baby's teeth for her?

When he pulled his fingers out of his mouth with a wet plop, the baby's pudgy arms worked themselves free from the blanket and she began to fuss in earnest.

"Wait a little more."

Wanfeng glanced over his shoulder to see his mother place a hand on the rising queen's arm.

Turning his attention back to the baby whose cheeks were flushing even redder, Wanfeng studied her chubby fists that clenched and unclenched in the air. He reached inside the basket and caught one of her hands. The baby's skin was hot but her fingers were strong as they immediately curled around one of his.

And something happened just then that made his breath hitch. What felt like a spark ignited in his chest, and warmth spread through him like nothing he'd ever felt before.

"Ever so gently now, Wanfeng."

The boy started at his mother's words and snapped out of his daze. He blinked at the tiny fingers clasping one of his so tight, then looked down at the baby's face.

She was smiling at him.

The wave of affection that engulfed him was so nice and comforting and made him very, very happy. He closed his hand lightly over the baby's fingers.

Wanfeng turned to give his mother a triumphant smile. He fixed the baby! All he had to do was hold her hand... ever so gently.

The queen sat back down and stared in amazement. "Uh, Wanfeng is more than welcome to come visit us in the Woodland realm anytime he'd like. It would seem he has quite the soothing effect on my daughter."

"A soothing dragon. Who knew there could ever be such?" The king chuckled as he puffed on his pipe. "Wait until I see the Sky Dragon Emperor next."

"Thank you for helping, Wanfeng," his mother said, quirking an amused brow at the king. "Come have some fruit and let Princess Xia sleep again."

Wanfeng lowered his head to the baby's ear. "Wait for me," he whispered, slowly letting go of her hand. "I'll be back." The baby yawned, her eyelids drifting closed.

Throughout the afternoon, Wanfeng kept sneaking up to the basket to peek inside, careful not to jostle it. Each time, the baby would smile in her sleep and the strange warmth in Wanfeng's chest bloomed.

He wished she was a little bigger. They could play together with his blocks.

_____

The loud rustle of leaves overhead woke Wanfeng.

He sat up from his mat where he'd fallen asleep in the late afternoon sun and rubbed his eyes. Then rubbed them harder when a sharp gust of icy wind stung his face.

"Something's wrong."

Wanfeng snapped fully awake at the Woodland King's hard tone. Goblets and platters crashed to the ground as the three grownups bolted to their feet.

A rumble overhead made Wanfeng look up, just in time to see the sky explode red before he was knocked over onto his back by a violent gust.

"Wanfeng!" his mother cried out. He struggled to get up but the ground was shaking so hard he couldn't. His blocks banged painfully into him as they were hurled into the air. The next thing he knew, he was scooped up in the Fox King's arms and thrown to his mother who fell to her knees as she caught him. Wanfeng wrapped his arms about her shoulders and buried his face into her neck.