Chapter 40 - The First Drop Of Snow Fell

"If that is your wish," his eyes softened and the blonde stood.

He glanced over to Yun who had just joined Shen's playing. She nodded and he walked away with his wife. He felt himself being pulled as the blonde walked faster to the palace.

'What do you have planned, Ah Yue?' He wondered and found himself smiling.

"Ah Yue," he slowed his wife down, "You are my gift," he kissed the blonde's forehead, "You do not have to-"

"Stop… stop talking," Ying Yue shook his head, "I have been practicing for a while and… please Ah Li. Let me show you, okay?"

"Alright," the king said gently and they continued into the palace.

"Can you wait here?" The blonde asked and saw his lover nod, "Can you also… um… face the entrance?"

"Ah Yue," the Ghost King sighed but turned as he asked.

"It might take a bit for me to set everything up," he continued, "Please wait for me."

He saw Wang Li turned back to him and pulled him closer. He felt the softness of those thin lips and he tilted his head. Enjoying the kiss, he wrapped his arms around his husband.

"I will always wait for you," the king whispered softly against his lips and he smiled.

Pulling away, he felt himself giddy when the raven-haired beauty turned to face the entrance once more. He quickly took off into Sheng Shui's room where everything he needed was. Covering his face, he squealed before taking big gulps of breaths. He was going to do this and do it right!

Taking off his outer wear, he dressed himself in the white robe adorned with golden silk laces. Draping the red coat over his shoulders, he went to the jewelries he had grabbed. A few necklaces and hair accessories with gems of all colors were what he grabbed, but the silver hairpin stood out the most.

"It matches my eyes and Ah Li said he loves my eyes," he flushed lightly smiling to himself.

He looked into the small mirror and got to work in making himself look as attractive as he could for his husband. With the final touch of the silver pin, he took a deep breath and picked up the guqin. He opened to door and walked out, hoping to all of Heavens that he would succeed in finally winning the Ghost King's heart.

"Wang Li," he spoke up and the raven-haired male turned. Silver eyes widened and the fan in his hand fell to the ground with a soft 'thuck.'

'That is… a good thing right? He was just so shocked that he dropped his fan,' he flushed when those eyes looked up and down his body. Swallowing, he went to the floor table and placed the instrument on it. Squatting to sit down, he let out a breath and began.

Light and airy notes filled the air around them. He closed his eyes and felt the strings were warmed by his fingers. The glow of gold with each pluck was new, but not distracting. He continued his song, hoping it swayed his lover to him. Not his first wife, not Sheng Shui, him.

While at the lake, Snow had suddenly stood up and ran toward the palace. The children were trying to follow, but Yun and Shen had told them to stay. Hien and Chu kept the villagers occupied, while Yun and Shen looked up at the sky. Golden lights, like sparkles of bursting stars, were in the palace where their king was. When they arrived, Snow was shrinking back and hiding in the bush. Both Shen and Yun's purple eyes widened when they saw the wife of their king playing the deadly instrument before their king.

Yun rushed forward, but she felt the seeping coldness freezing her skin. She looked over at Shen who was walking forward, ignoring the cold frost against his skin. The music stopped and Yun opened her mouth, but no voice escaped her lips. She saw the white-haired boy reached frost bitten fingers toward their king, but Wang Li walked forward, eyes only on the naïve blonde.

The first drop of snow fell and landed on the ground.

Ying Yue was proud of himself for grabbing the coat. The weather was getting colder and as he finished playing, he could feel how cold his fingers were. He looked up to notice the cowering leopard and the two pair of purple eyes looking at him in fear. Confused, he looked over to see Wang Li walking toward him. His skin prickled with a strange sensation, a fear he hadn't felt since the first day he entered the palace.

Cold silver eyes stared into his green eyes as the man neared. Gulping down, he wondered if his king didn't like his music and was upset with him. Maybe it was the musical instrument; it belonged to Sheng Shui, after all. Maybe no one was supposed to enter the first wife's room; was that why Yun and Shen were looking at him scared. Fingers moved through his blonde hair and gripped the back of his head.

"Was this your gift?" The voice made his body shivered in fear and he nodded slowly, "I should have known," the king gritted out with his face close, "I should have never left you alone. You always bring me trouble!"

Green eyes widened and he opened his mouth, but Wang Li clamped it with his other hand.

"Did I say you could speak?" The Ghost King narrowed his silver eyes, but Ying Yue could see a hint of red beneath it.

"I hate you," his husband said coldly letting him go, "I should have killed you."

His heart was beating quickly and his eyes began to water. What was happening? Did he do something terrible to lead Wang Li to behave this way to him? All he wanted was to make his husband smile, for his lover to love him.

"Slayer," he heard the raven haired male call out and a sharp black sword appeared in his hand, "Any last words, Heaven's Chosen."

Green eyes watered in confusion with overwhelming emotions. This was not supposed to happen. Everything was wrong and now… now Wang Li hated him. He glanced at Shen who was struggling to stay upright, Yun who was moving her lips, but no sound came out, and the whimpering of the scared cat. He felt the tip of the blade under his chin, bringing it up to make his head tilt. Cold silver eyes stared into teary green ones. There was a slight hesitation, a pinch in the edge of his eyes that Ying Yue saw.

"Ah Li," he whispered and watched the mark underneath his lover's left eye stretched. It moved, breaking skin like paper as blood followed through the scar.