Chapter 98 - Your Heart Is Only For Him

Sitting up, Ying Yue cleared his throat and looked over to not see Snow. His heart dropped remembering Wang Li was no longer with him. His husband was far away and he could not return to him because of what he would do to his lover. Letting out a sigh, he got off the bed.

Both brothers were drinking tea quietly as they waited for the youngest to join them. Sighing into his cup, the brunette looked over at him.

"Brother, was this the right decision?" Han Mo questioned with furrowed brows.

"He needed to learn what the Heavens ask of him," Xu Ling stated with closed eyes, "It is time he learned he is to not take his role lightly."

"Yes, but…" the younger let out another sigh, looking into his cup for respite, "You know how his heart is. He cannot help himself."

"The first time was enough to show him where his weakness was," the redhead stated sternly, "He should learn from that."

Shaking his head, the brunette drank his tea. His mind went back to when the blonde was a light, a bundle of smiles. Then they got older and his youngest brother seemed… lost. Even after Ying Yue's death and the birth of Sheng Shui… eyes still yearning, still searching for his lover.

["Brother," he remembered his brother, as Sheng Shui spoke up sadly.

"What is it?" Han Mo looked over to see tears slipping down those green eyes, "Why are you crying?"

"No matter how many lovers I lay with," the blonde gave him a defeated smile, "It will never be good enough."

"Pssh," he sounded with a smirk, "Are you losing your touch? Not satisfied anymore?"

He watched as his brother pulled out a red handkerchief from his sleeve and stared at it. Pressing it against his face, the brunette found the smirk falling off his face when his brother breathed the cloth in.

"My heart will still be empty until I find him," a soft smile was placed on those red lips.

"Who?" He whispered softly, scared of the answer, scared to know.

"I don't know," blonde hair swayed with the shake, "but I will find him. I know he is near."

"How do you know it is a guy and not a girl?" He forced out a laugh, gently pushing his brother's shoulder.

"My heart is telling me this," he saw his brother's smile and his heart dropped when he spoke again.

"Do you know where plum blossoms bloom, brother?"]

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Han Mo drank another cup of his tea. It took them both a long time making sure Ying Yue never came close to the palace. They both knew the Ghost King only went to certain areas like a routine. So many times, they found their blonde brother close to the palace, near it, and sometimes standing and staring at the closed doors. Each time, a new excuse was given, a new direction, a new village.

Until they were too late.

Ying Yue had become Wang Li's wife once more.

'It was inevitable,' he thought closing his eyes, 'Like you said once before Ying Yue: no one can escape fate.'

The door to the young brother's room opened and they looked over. An entire seven nights had passed since they removed their brother from the palace. The blonde's gold eyes still held sadness, but there was a hint of acceptance. Sitting down, Ying Yue poured himself a cup and drank it. Frowning slightly, he put the teacup down.

"Do we have ginger?" He questioned quietly looking at his brothers.

"No," the redhead stated putting his own cup on the table, "Just drink your tea."

'Ginger tea…' he stared at the cup and closed his eyes.

["Wang Li," he asked tasting the tea again, "You always serve ginger tea."

"Do you not like it?" Silver eyes looked at him.

"I only drink ginger tea when I am with you," he took another sip, "Is it your favorite?"

"Ah Yue," the man sighed and he continued.

"I mean… it's not a bad thing. I like it too. Ginger helps the stomach so... do you have stomachaches?" Ying Yue flustered and stopped himself from talking by drinking more tea.

"Yes," the man in red nodded as he sipped his tea, "You can ask for something else, Ah Yue."

He looked worriedly at the king before looking down. He shouldn't have said anything… he had quite a big mouth. Letting out a sigh, he drank the tea in his cup. Then his smile slowly curled on his lips as he looked at the man.

"I have stomachaches too," he saw silver eyes looked at him with furrowed brows.

"What is wrong?" The man reached out and touched his stomach, making him flush from the contact.

"You… you make my stomach feel weird," he murmured quietly and he saw confusion in those pretty eyes.

Ying Yue smiled mirthfully and kissed the king. Pulling back, he sighed and watched surprise colored the beauty before him.

"Much better," he grinned only to be tackled down, laughing as he went until thin lips swallowed the noise.]

That was a nice time, a time when they were young and during their courtship. Those days were a long time ago, too long maybe… too long that he could not reach back and relive it.

"Are you feeling better, Ah Yue?" Han Mo questioned searching his face.

He offered a smile and nodded.

"You know what you must do, Heaven's chosen," the Xu Ling crossed his arms.

"Tell me big brother," he looked at the elder, "How do I bring balance? I tried on my own and failed. I… What was master planning for me?"

"Master wanted you to travel, find out what the villages need and assist them in all the ways you can," mouth turned into a deep frown, "but you chose to forfeit your duties and stayed with him."

Silence fell onto the brothers as the sound of the light wind rattled the windows.

"Forgive me, brothers. I have been selfish, but I do not regret being with him."

"We know, Ah Yue. Your heart was only for him," his kind brother smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Was there… Was there anything I don't know?"

"When you first showed, master was concerned," the redhead stated, "Your mark was incomplete."

"What?" He touched his mark on his forehead, "What do you mean? Why did he not tell me?"

"When master returned from the mountains," Xu Ling continued, "He said the Heavens made a mistake and did not inform him."

"I have never seen master so angry before," the brunette thought back with worry.

"By the time he returned, you already ran off to live in the palace," the redhead narrowed his eyes and Ying Yue shrunk a bit from that statement. It was true… he did leave while his master was away.

"That was why you all came," the blonde said softly, "Not for my wedding..."

"Well, it worked out. We went there to speak with you, but was also there to give you our blessings!" Han Mo grinned, lightening the mood.

"You did not return with us," his older brother continued, "Master knew the Ghost King would become the name of your lover and what you would have to do."

"Kill Ah Li," he whispered, "So what he was telling me when I was young… they were all true until he learned the Heavens were dishonest with him."

"Yes," the redhead stared him straight in the eye, "Wang Li was the first chosen, but his heart was too pure to control the Netherworld. To complete the balance, you were chosen. Marks of Heaven's chosen were split for both you and the Ghost King. Everything was planned from the beginning: you were placed in the master's hands, taught to bring goodness and love; the Ghost King was placed in the hands of a woman, known for secrecy and pain."

His brother paused and took a sip of his tea.

"But that woman died early in the Ghost King's life, so the woman's sister raised him; she was loyal and stable. This did not fall in the plans of Heavens-" the redhead looked over at the youngest of them.

"They placed a curse on us," Ying Yue finished, hands clenching his knees, "I know. Thank you, Xu Ling."

He got up and headed out of the door to greet Snow. The big cat was looking over the hill down where the village was. Rubbing the pet, he felt the chilly air a little less than before, and the snow that had fallen were melted long ago.

'Ah Li,' he smiled softly, 'I wonder what you are doing?'

A white butterfly flew toward him and his golden eyes widened. The trail of glittering dust followed it and the gold outline shimmered. It landed quietly on his shoulder and he found his heart beating quickly. Did his husband…

"Ah Yue," that baritone voice sounded like a whisper and he felt tears welling up in his eyes, "Do not cry."