When the messenger came to him to inform him that she was awake he was happy. He wanted to ride there straight and see her face but he stopped himself. The last time he saw her, she was very angry at him. He had never seen her mad like that before. Upsetting her was the last thing he ever wanted and yet he did. After their quarrel, she collapsed and never woke up. He blamed himself everyday and drank wine everyday to forget it all but it was impossible.
He was faking his sleep when he heard the commotion. He knew the reason the second his room was stormed by the palace's female guards. Those guards were known to be notorious, skilled and great assassins too. They only protected one person and it meant that she was here. He tried not to go with them but they were the best. He was in the hall when he saw her drinking her wine. She lifted her face and their gaze met each other for some seconds. Her eyes were filled with something he had never seen before.
She made an order and disappeared like that. Was she still angry with him that she couldn't even wait for him? He was taken out of the flower house and he was escorted into the Saintess' carriage which meant she left alone. What if something happens to her? He wouldn't be able to forgive himself. He looked at Nora, the maid who was always around the Saintess.
'Don't worry, she is not mad at you and she will be fine,' Nora answered the questions he didn't even ask.
'No wonder why she keeps you around. You are very good,' he said.
'It takes practice and a lot of patience. There were times she would lock me up and punish me so harshly that I hated her. As time passed I realized that all she did was to make me strong and I don't hate her for that,' Nora said.
'I just seem to always disappoint her after everything she had done for me,' he blamed himself.
'Then try harder, don't give up. You shouldn't have stayed at the flower house though, I think she won't forgive you easily for that,' Nora said.
'Didn't you just say that she is not mad?'
'I did but who would be happy after witnessing all that. I guess you should start thinking of ways to make her smile when you see her,' Nora said and laughed.
He knew she was a joker and she was trying to make him feel better in a way but he knew exactly the bad things he had done. He would look for her, get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness until she forgives him.
They arrived at the palace and the first thing he did was to go to the Saintess' room. She was not there.
'Where is she?' he asked the maids guarding the door.
'She didn't come back, young Lord,' one of the maids replied.
Where would she be right now? He had to find her and settle with her. He left the palace and began to search for her in places she always liked to be. She wasn't at her parents' tomb so he went to look for her there. He saw her from afar and ran as fast as he could. She turned around and faced him. He couldn't read her expression at all, so he moved in closer.
She was staring at the golden lotus which was in the middle of the lotus pond. He had heard some rumors of how that lotus was important to her. According to the legend and stories that people talked about; he heard that the lotus turned gold the day the Saintess was born. To be honest, he found it very difficult to believe such stories and he didn't have the courage to ask the Saintess about it.
He knelt on the ground the second he reached her and she kept looking at him without saying a word.
'I'm sorry for what I made you go through. I shouldn't have quarreled with you, I should have just listened and follow your word but I was too stubborn and made you sick. I will accept any punishment from you,' he pleaded and bowed down.
She didn't even move and he remained in that position. He wasn't going to get up until she forgives him.
'It really pains me that you can't even follow one simple order Xavier. If you felt sorry, why did you spend my money on those girls for all these months? Is that what I taught you? When did I teach you to be a coward? How could you disappoint me and hide in women's skirts and wine like a man who had lost his cause?' she asked him and he could hear the anger in her.
He lifted his head and looked at her; she was really fuming with anger.
'I'm sorry, I will never do it again,' he said. He didn't know what to say anymore, any words from him would make the situation worse.
'Your punishment will be severe. We will be leaving for the capital in two days, prepare your luggage. You won't be riding in the carriage but you shall ride with the guards and repent for your mistakes,' she said and left him kneeling there.
He stood up and watched her back as she left. She was lenient with him, he could tell. Xavier had been staying in the palace for ten years; the Saintess found him floating on the river as if he was dead back then. She took him in, nursed him back to health and trained him. He remembered exactly what happened back then. Someone tried to kill him and they almost succeeded. To his family he was already dead which was really painful. To think that someone plotted his assassination and gained from it made him angry but the Saintess rubbed the whole thing off.
Their fight had something to do with him wanting to revenge the people who did this to him. She told him that he wasn't ready and he would be dead before he could do anything. He trained for a decade and yet she told him those words. It was so painful he had a huge fight with her. She collapsed which was shocking. He didn't know what to do at all. Ever since she collapsed, he wasn't allowed anywhere near her room. He missed her a lot and yet he couldn't see her. He went to the flower house to get rid of the stress and yet for every woman who served him, all he could see was her face.
He knew that the feelings he had for her was something he wouldn't allow anyone to ever find out but he couldn't help it. He loved her and would do anything for her and yet he failed her. He was going to become better and put a smile on her face once again.
He returned to the palace and retired to his room. He had a journey to prepare for.
'Young Lord, may I come in?' Tara his maid asked.
'Come in,' he replied.
Tara walked inside with a bowl of warm water. He washed his hands and wiped them.
'I have already prepared for your journey. Is there anything else I should pack for you?' she asked.
'No, I trust you,' he replied.
'The gown you had me prepare for the mistress is now done, do you want to go and see it?'
'Yes, take me there,' he said and stood up.
While she was asleep, the only thing he could do was to have her gown tailored. She wore one of the gowns he personally designed and he was glad she was wearing it. Seeing the Saintess in the clothes that he made was something that brings him joy.
He arrived at the tailor department and the gown was on a hanger. It was beautiful, he admired the dress. He looked at it over and over again and he loved it.
The Saintess loves three colors; black, red and gold. The gown was black embroidered with phoenix thread to highlight the lotus flower on the tail of the gown. He wanted her to look more of an Empress and make every woman out there envy her.
'Pick the accessories that go with the gown and pack it. Have the gown sent to my room,' he said and left.
He was going to give it to her himself when they reach the capital. He wanted her to wear it the day when the whole nation will be celebrating the birth of another royal descendant.
Xavier didn't return back to his hall but went to the training grounds where new recruits were being trained.
'Young Lord!' they all said showing their respect.
'At ease,' he said.
'Do you have any instructions for us?' the chief asked.
'I just came to check up on the new recruits. How are they faring?' Xavier asked.
'I think they have potential. By the time they finish their training they will be perfect,' the chief said.
'That's good to hear. Just make sure the mistress won't have anything to worry about.'
'I will be in huge trouble if that happens.'
'I will take my leave and keep up the good work,' Xavier said and left the training grounds.
Xavier returned to his hall and sat in his chair. It's been ten years since he saw the capital. And now that he was returning there, what will happen? Will they be able to recognize him? Will they try to kill him again? What will he do? The Saintess was probably up to something considering the fact that she was taking him this time. It wasn't the first time she was going to the capital and yet she left him all the time. Now that she was taking him back to his original home, would she abandon him there? Was he too much of a burden to her that she would do that?
Will he ever have a chance to tell her how he truly feels about her? The Saintess was much older than him and yet she still has a face of a young maiden. She looked very young, beautiful and more mature at the same time. No one could compare to her martial arts skills. Fighting her was pointless; she didn't have to exert any strength. She had that look that could kill, a smile that could make you suffocate. Everything about her was deadly and yet she makes his heart race so much he wouldn't live without her.
When he was young he heard from the commoners the tale of the Sacred Lady, they said she was ruthless and caused fear and havoc everywhere but she fell in love and the massacres stopped. Everyone lived in peace and harmony at that time but the war minister attacked the palace and caused a huge internal war. During the war, the sacred lady's husband died while fighting and that made her return to her original self. The Sacred lady massacred everyone who was involved in killing her husband. There was no peace until everyone was wiped completely. After taking her revenge she got sick along the way and finally died leaving her daughter who carried an omen of a golden lotus; the Saintess, the woman he was in love with.
He was not yet born by the time the Saintess took over her mother's position as the mistress of the Lotus palace but just like her mother she killed everyone who was involved in poisoning her mother to death. She made them took the deadliest poison which had no antidote, to make them suffer the pain her mother went through under their hands. After her revenge she stopped killing and began to concentrate on making peace.
The Saintess sent a maiden to the capital to be a concubine of the Emperor that created a bond between the two and stopped any conflicts. Now the palace was all about business and keeping the world safe. He respected all that, he knew just how much the mistress sacrificed and the things she does to keep the mountain safe.
It was probably difficult being a leader with so many people who looked up to you. It was very difficult for him sometimes which is why he just liked to wine and party even though it makes the Saintess mad. He owes his life to her and would die for her if that time comes, he just wanted to see her happy all the time and let all worries disappear.
The day finally came for them to depart for the capital. There were a total of six carriages leaving for the capital; two belonged to the Saintess, two were for the maids and the last two had the luggage and food for the road. Since his punishment was to ride with others, there was no carriage for him.
Everyone was standing in their positions while waiting for the mistress to show up. He had not seen her at all and couldn't wait. He saw the maids first and knew that she was just behind them. Everyone immediately went down on their knees to show their respect and she came out. She looked really lovely in a black gown with some red flowers on it. She walked majestically and passed him as if she didn't see him. She was still mad and he can take that.
Nora held out her hand so that she could take the stair ladder to get into her carriage. The Saintess carriage had a lotus emblem on both sides. Anyone would tell whose carriage it was by just looking. Since her colors were limited, it was totally obvious who would be inside. The carriage she was riding in had more red than black and had golden lotuses on both sides. When she entered the carriage, the maids and the guards took their position and they were ready to leave.
He got on his horse and set off. The mountain was full of traps; if one didn't belong there they would easily be trapped and killed. It was difficult to find a road but for them they could see it. The Saintess carriage was the second on the way, the first having her maids in it.
They passed through Willow City and there the mayor was waiting with his carriage. He had heard the man was going with them. The Mayor's carriage joined in and their journey began. By riding the horse, one would take a full day to arrive to the capital but with the way the Saintess was travelling, she would take days to get there. She always hated to be rushed.
They spent the whole day on the road and stopped in another city where they had booked the whole inn for the night. Guards had already been sent in advance to scout the place and make sure there will be no surprises. There were other sects who wished to see the mountain collapse.
He looked at Nora and he nodded his head. Luckily for him, she knew exactly what he was implying.
'I will go and prepare her bed,' she said leaving him by the carriage.
He opened the door and she looked at him without smiling.
'Please, don't be mad at me anymore. I will do anything to make you happy,' he pleaded.
'Get me out of here, first,' she said stretching out her hand and he took it.
He helped her to get down the carriage and held her hand.
'Do you want to go inside?' he asked her.
'If I don't go inside, where else should I go?' she asked looking at him.
'I have an idea. Let's go,' he said.
'Where are we going?'
'It's just near and I will bring the guards along,' he said and led her to the place he wanted.
It felt so good being able to hold just her hand for so many minutes. She hated being rushed so even the way they walk was considerate. The commoners were staring bust he didn't care. He saw the place which he was looking for and broke free.
'I will look for a seat, don't go anywhere,' he said and rushed off.
He found the manager and gave him two gold leaves.
'Anything for you, master,' the man said.
'Give me one of your best seats,' Xavier said.
'It's done,' the man said and Xavier returned to get his mistress.
He led her through the people and hoped that no one will think of doing anything silly. He wouldn't want to see any bloodshed at all.
The man he just paid showed them to the front seat and he helped her sit.
'This is not comfortable but it will suffice,' she said.
'Since you haven't been out for a long time, I wanted you to watch a shadow play. I hope you will like it,' Xavier explained.
'I hope I will or else I will punish you more for making me abandon my rest,' she made one of her threats.
'You will enjoy it,' he assured her.
The shadow play began; the story was quite an interesting one. It was a love story of the previous emperor; he was a great man and had so many concubines. One day he went into the city with a disguise and he fell in love with a songstress. She had the most beautiful voice he had ever heard. He took her back to the palace and made her his concubine. They both loved each other and yet the other concubines were jealous and did all sorts of things to bring harm to her. The Empress even fed her a poison which made her become infertile. The Emperor was so angry that he reprimanded the Empress but there was nothing to do. They all wanted the Emperor to stop loving the songstress but his love for her even grew more. The Emperor even promoted her that by the time he died she became the Grand Consort Dowager.
That woman was the one who held the highest position in the royal palace now. That story made him think that anything was possible as long as one is sincere enough.
He was going to tell the Saintess about his feelings. He would accept any consequences as long he let her know. He looked at her and saw the look on her face. It was rare to see her face so full of emotions. He had to take her away before something happens.
'Let's leave now. I guess supper is ready and you must be starving,' he said and she looked at him.
'We should leave, I have seen enough,' she said and began to stand.
He stood up with her and held her hand and led her away from the people.
They didn't say a word back to the inn, he didn't know what to say or do especially after all that. When they arrived at the inn where Nora was waiting anxiously for them, the Saintess stopped and looked at him. He thought she was going to reprimand him and punish him more making her sad but she smiled at him. He hadn't seen her smile for days and yet she was doing that right now.
'Join me for dinner,' she said as she went inside.
Still not believing what had just happened, Nora patted him on his shoulder and said, 'Congratulations, she has forgiven you.'