A Shadow of the Past [Intro/Closed]

[Cheng Qi]

"Come to bed dear." "Give me a minute, the magistrate needs this finished for tomorrow." "You're always working, you ought to give yourself a break." "'No rest for the weary' darling." She stroked his arm, so gentle, slowly bringing her hands about his chest in a loving embrace. "Come to bed." As much as he wanted to, he couldn't, "I'm almost done." She held him tighter, "I won't let go until you come to bed with me." He let his quill fall from his grasp dropping full of ink, leaving a smear across his work as it rolled away from his reach.

She pulled his face to meet her's, after a brief meeting of their eyes, she pressed forward locking on a kiss, he matched it. Their tongues wrestled for just a moment before to pulled out, nodding towards the bed. She took him by the hands, her's so small and slendor in comparison. She turned him against the bed and pushed him backwards, he fell onto the sheets without so much as a sound as, she climbed on top of him. She locked on another kiss and pulled at the front of his tunic, she laughed into his mouth as his hands went up her hips...

Opening his eyes quietly, he beheld peace, all was still, but the flow of water and the chirping of birds outside. Yet, he couldn't help but feel disappointed, why did it have to end? He felt usually awake, it was like he had been daydreaming, but he had been sleeping. He looked out of the open window, the sun was rising, the warm orange glow of dawn without the residence.

He looked to his side, checking and then pulled her tighter. She hugged his chest tighter and moaned into wakefulness with a weary smile, "Morning m'lord." She said softly, her eyes still closed and her face left cheek against his chest. He smiled and kissed her on the forehead, "Go back to sleep sweetie." He made to get up and break from her embrace, "Not without you." "I have something to check on, you stay abed." He kissed her as he quit the sheets.

He got up, hard in his trousers, "Is m'lord finally ready?" The girl smiled happily under sleep heavy eyes, if you were my wife, I'd be all over you... "...You get some more sleep Yue." He took his tunic from the edge of the bed, leaving Yue with the entire bed, she stretched over where his warmth had been and seemingly fell back into sleep. Qi slipped his arms into the sleeves of his shirt, and finding his morning feet headed outside.

His bedchamber was enjoined to his garden, a small private luxury garden enjoined onto the Cao residence. It had a flowing water source that led into a pond with various types of fish, with a pavilion overlooking it; that was on the other side of the bridge that his bedchamber door led onto. The entire place was covered in rich vegetation and exotic flowers, being in a place like this, you would never think there was a war beyond the walls of the residence, it seemed to blank your outer troubles.

Inner troubles however, were a different matter, Cheng Qi found himself on the bridge outside his door, gazing over into the slow flowing water, dwelling on the thought of his dream. I can't bury it, try as I may. I should be moving on, moving on with Yue, but it still feels so wrong. He crossed the remainder of the bridge, taking in the fresh morning air under the peaceful sky. Spring is here...

Yue was walking towards him, a tired smile on her face, she was wearing a loose robe. "Hey." She said as she shuffled into his arms, hugging him, she was only as tall as his chin so she hugged his chest, he felt like she was going to fall asleep again there. Then his two guards walked in, "M'lord."

Yue hastily shielded herself, refixing her robe to be tighter. Qi spoke "What is so urgent you intrude at this hour?" "A letter." "From?" "It was waiting outside the residence when we rose." "Let me see." He unsealed the letter and read it. "Interesting." "What news m'lord?" Both his guards seemed to talk at the same time, bloody twins. "It will reach the ear's of the King before you two's." His guards nodded and withdrew from his presence. A king in the north now...hmm...interesting, very interesting. He spared another quick glance at the parchment before crumpling it up together in his hand, that's also an interesting development...