His Majesty And I ✔️

Two Moons

“Eh… eh… eh… Please forgive this servant’s mistress on my behalf.”

“On your behalf?” he chuckled. “Why on your behalf? You mean nothing to me.”

“Your Majesty...” Ai was back on her knees to beg. Yuwen Hong was really giving her a hard time.

“I am pulling your leg. Don’t be so hasty, stand.”

Li Lian lay the garment on the rock and started pounding it with the wooden beater. This way, all the materials she used to dye would not cling to the garment and make it unevenly colored.

“How long have you been serving Imperial Concubine Wei?”

“Almost a decade, Your Majesty.”

“Hao. That is pleasing. Serve her for another decade and I will title you with a good name, then decree a marriage for you to one of my prominent officials.”

Ai did not want to get married but she wouldn’t dare say so to him. “His Majesty is benevolent.” She gave her praises as she bowed.

“Hao, hao. You may leave and wait from a distance with the rest.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Ai rushed from them to join the rest of the entourage.

Li Lian stood from her pounding and gave an eye to Yuwen Hong. He always stood so majestically. One hand resting behind and the other curled in front, proving that he had the air of nobility, as they liked to say. He put on dark purple robes with the gold insignia of the dragon on the chest area.

“Ai does not wish to get married.” She told him.

“What woman does not want to get married?”

His ignorance was baffling.

“Good question to ask someone who will forever be a concubine.”

“I can still marry you. You will be my second empress in due time.”

“That will be nice," she sarcastically said. "Leftovers.”

He ignored that.

Rather, he asked, “Why are you doing that for yourself? You have many servants.” He pointed to her unfinished work.

“Even I am wondering about the same thing. Why are you talking to me? You could have simply sent your servants to do the talking for you.”

He completely did not say anything this time. His teeth grazed his lips, puppy eyes staring at her, seeming unsure of how to go around her and what to really say specifically.

“I prefer to do the whole process of making clothes by myself. It is more of a hobby than work, so I wouldn’t dare have other people do it for me.” She finally answered.

He nodded, taking her hand and examining it. “Look at these beautiful hands. They deserve to do no work except when touching me.” He massaged her fingers gently and softly caressed her skin before writing, “I am sorry,” in the palm of her hand.

His eyes then captured her face to see her reaction. She was still as she could be, caught off guard. The first one to apologize valued the relationship the most, or was it because he was earnestly regretting?

"I am sorry." His lips formed those specific words, no sound coming from his mouth.

She smiled sadly, turning from him and beginning to swirl the garment in her collected clean water. Her mind however, was in a far away place.

Yuwen Hong followed suit by squatting next to her and taking the other dyed garments.

“What should I do with these?”

“I'm done pounding those. They need to be washed by hand.”

“That is easy.” He pulled back his sleeves. “I’m sure I can do that.” He took out a fabric and rambled it in his hands, stretching it and slamming it back.

It made no sense to her.

Again, it was deeped into the water, lifted, ruffled around, slammed, stretched and dipped.

“What are you doing?”

“Washing, what else can it be?”

Li Lian covered her mouth, tears of laughter about to come out as her stomach held back from cackling. This was what it looked like when a child copied an adult to wash clothes, to fumble around nonsensically, failing dismally to copy. In all his life, being raised privileged, had he ever washed?

She pulled him to stand and started pushing him away. “You are wasting your energy. Go, go, go, go.”

“But… I am trying to help you wash,” he said innocently.

“I am sure Wen’er would do a better job than you.”

"Wen'er, better than me?" He laughed. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“That, leave this place. You don't know how to wash.”

She spun to continue with her job, but he stopped her by taking her wrist.

His hands then rounded her waist, stilling her. She could feel his breath fan her neck while his warmth swamped her small body.

“I am really sorry, Li Lian. Really, I am. I know I should have gone around this in a better way.” A peck on her cheek. “Please do not keep pushing me away anymore. I know. I have been wrong.”

She sighed.

“You are the person I treasure most alongside Muqin. Fighting with you hurts me and I am troubled when we are not at peace. Wǒ zhīdào. Wǒ cuòle.” (I know, I am wrong)

She turned and he took a step back, giving her space. Unexpectedly, she took his hand and stared at him as she bit him hard.

Regret and remorse flared in his eyes while sadness was in hers. He should not have apologised, not him, she was the one who was the biggest traitor and criminal in their relationship. He should not seek her forgiveness, it is her death he should seek.

Her teeth grit on his skin until she could taste blood, and a tear trickled on her cheek.

He was not wrong, she was the person in the wrong.

“Does it feel better?” He asked as she let his hand go. It had the mark of simmering blood by his knuckles.

But nevertheless, he cared more about wiping off the tear that wet her cheek. “Do you forgive me now?”

She shook her head. “There is nothing to forgive. You were not the only person in the wrong.”

He beamed, his lips lifting upward. And that blew her away. The way his hidden dimple smiled. The way his teeth were perfectly aligned.

How the warm glow kissed his face just by hearing her say those words was beyond her.

Every emotion was fleeting, every moment disappearing with a glimpse, every day swift to pass. Life waited for no one.

Happy was what she felt when Yuwen Hong was around. Peace was what comforted her in his arms. And affection was what shone in her heart when she saw him smile.

When with him, nothing she did seemed enough. Every smile of hers seemed to fail compared to the magnitude of his jokes.

Her love, like the smoke of a failed fire, always made her wonder if it even did any good. Love was supposed to be the fire that warmed him, but she was only the smoke in the fire that made him cough and poisoned his airways.

And that was why it would be two moons.

Two moons, she would give him and her a chance.

Two moons, she would love.

Two moons, she would care.

Two moons, and it would be goodbye.

A lotus seeking freedom, she would escape and seek her home.

S.V