"Wake up, we've arrived"

As sleepy as she was, Feiyun opened one eye while still snuggling in Tianhuos arms. His broad chest was comfortable and strong. She felt safest in his embrace. Glancing up, Feiyun caught his blue eyes staring back at her.

"Thanks..."

Feiyun mumbled as she tidied herself and opened the curtains, wondering when she had fallen asleep.

Looking out, the carriage stood before a pure and reposed Abbey. Its walls made from a white jade that was cold to the touch. Surrounding the great abbey was a lush and green forest.

The journey through the deep valley was truly worth the view even though it was night, Feiyun could feel the calm atmosphere very much different from the capital's busy lifestyle.

A young nun came out from the side door, holding a lantern as she bowed forward in greeting.

"Heaven's blessing travelers."

Just as she finish, a older, wise looking nun appeared, having recognised Tianhuo she bowed deep and greeted.

"Heaven's blessings upon the 4th Prince Xing Tianhuo and Princess Consort Feiyun."

Hearing that, the younger nun immediately bowed deep, her face pale as a sheet of paper, trembling like a leaf in autumn.

"P-please forgive me your highness!"

Tianhuo barely looked towards the little girl, waving his hand to dismiss her as he stepped off the carriage and forward into the abbey.

Having lead them to a lodging, the younger nun prepared and served the tea, her arms still trembling in fear.

"Heaven's blessings for Princess Consort Feiyun, I'm the Abbess of this abbey, may i ask what brings the princess here at this hour?"

Feiyun bowed her head with a hand cupped in the other, after that she recieved the tea the abbess offered and brought it to her lips, the smell of chrysanthemum soothing Feiyun's tired body.

"Thanking Abbes Hu for the tea. I came...to place my mother's memorial ash tablet here."

Abbess Hu simply smiled and nodded her head, she gave off a warm and motherly feeling.

"Our abbey is not a place many people would choose to put their loved ones tablets. Because we're located deep in the valley on the border of the southeast, travelling here to pay respect is tedious, if you are okay with that we can prepare a place for your mother."

Feiyun smiled she didn't mind the journey rather she was happy that this place was away from the eyes of people.

A tranquil and peaceful place with a worldly view of the setting sun and the wide sky. She did not have a mother in her previous life and this was all she could do to thank the woman who gave birth to Feiyun of this world, releasing her mother from the captives of the four walls was only right.

The wise abbess said a soft prayer as she stood up, telling them to get some rest and tomorrow they will proceed with the preparations.

After Abbess Hu left the room, Tianhuo watched Feiyun as she absentmindedly gazed out the window. Feiyun's eyes reflecting the gentle willow tree that stood outside the window, gently blowing in the breeze. Tianhuo couldn't help but wonder why Feiyun seemed like fragile broken glass.

Tianhuo picked up her hand, smoothing over her palm and fingers. Intertwining their fingers easily, as though the spaces were made just for them. Feiyun blushed as she watched his blue eyes observe her fingers and slowly rose to meet hers.

"Come."

Tianhuo stood up, giving her a gentle tug as he called out, Feiyun rose from her chair quickly following along.

The Abbey might have seemed to be small from the front but once inside, Feiyun found that it was truly a large place. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the Abbey was as big as the Xue family's manor.

'Such a big place, wonder who owns this...'

Feiyun could only wonder in awe as they silently,made their way through the winding gardens.

After what seemed like a long walk to the back of the abbey. They were faced with a large open garden with a large pond in the center.

In the evening darkness, the warm lanterns lit the way all around the garden. Rare plants surrounded the garden, a variety of colors and fragrances, while rainbow colored Koi fishes swam in circles.

Big flat rocks in front of them made a path across the waters to the golden pavilion with a pair of beautiful large jade guardian lions at the entrance.

Once across, Feiyun found a single altar with two large bundles of folded paper cranes hanging from each side, made from at least hundreds of black, gold and white paper. A crystal blue ash memorial tablet stood in the center of the altar, a name written in beautiful bold golden letters,

-Imperial Concubine Mei Han Yu-

They both knelt down in a silent prayer. After a few minutes, Tianhuo stood up and took out a folded paper crane from his sleeve, placing it beside the tablet.

Turning towards Feiyun, wondering why she had been quiet the entire time. Just as he was about to speak, Feiyun quickly place a finger on her pursed lip. Observing the altar, Feiyun asked softly her eyes sharp and serious.

" Aside from us, who else knows you brought your mother's tablet here?"

Raising an eyebrow, Tianhuo looked around following the direction Feiyun was looking.

"No one else..."

After a pause Feiyun smiled as usual and then continued,

"Lets talk when we're back in our room."

Tianhuo watched with a small smile on his face as she hopped across the flat stone path, Feiyun rarely smiled such a honest childlike smile.

"This place is beautiful... I'm glad you brought me here. "

Feiyun spoke as they made their way back. She could feel the obvious presence following them around however Tianhuo didn't seem to give much care about it.

Once they were back in the room Tianhuo lit a candle, a small flickering flame lighting up the area around them. As he sat on the grand arm chair, he pulled Feiyun onto his lap. Snuggling close to her body with his arms wrapped around her waist, feeling her warmth.

Feiyun felt that ever since they arrived here, Tianhuo didn't have his usual clouded and angered eyes. She couldn't put a finger on it but it lingered somewhere between sadness and loneliness.

As they stood there in each other's embrace, the presence behind the door remained motionless and then left.

"Why do you not care about that?"

Feiyun asked, her fingers running through his soft hair. Without looking up, Tianhuo only mumbled

"Not dangerous..."

Feiyun shook her head in response, a helpless smile printed on her face

'The strongest beast in the forest has no predators huh?...'*

She could understand that feeling. Back where she came from, She was the uncontested queen of the underworld. She wore fear like it was a crown made for her. Unable to put her heart at ease with that weird presence that started following them ever since they entered the shrine.

"At least let me find out. Just in case."

Looking up to see the anxious eyes looking back at him, Tianhuo could only let out a soft sigh and let her go. Watching her run to the window and let out a soft sharp whistle.

"Master."

From the shadows, FeiFeng appeared. Her head deeply bowed with an arm in front.

"Go find out. But stay your hand."

Just as quickly as she appeared, FeiFeng vanished into the shadows, melting into the moonlit night.

"You've trained them well."

Tianhuo commented from the bed, a single arm propping him up as he watched her.

"Of course. I wouldn't expect any lesser."

Feiyun poked her nose high into the air, her eyes looking down from the corner with a dangerous and charismatic smile. Tianhuo lifted the blankets, inviting her to lie down with him.

After blowing out the candle, Feiyun climbed into the bed, and snuggled close to him.

"Can i put my mother's tablet in the same garden with your mother?"

"...Mhm..."

She could tell that Tianhuo was starting to fall asleep. All the way from the capital until the Abbey, Tianhuo did not rest more than an hour. He was always awake even when he had his eyes close. She had told him to sleep but he could never rest easy. Feiyun felt a sense of guilt as she let him drift to sleep.

But just as Tianhuo's breathing became steadier, Feiyun felt her ears twitched. That footsteps were not any of their people's. The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

Tianhuo had already noticed the presence, his grip tightening around her waist as he came closer to her ear. His hot breath lingering on her neck.

"Shh..."

Feiyun smirked, this presence she knew very well. To think people would send this amount of assassins for their life, truly they had spent too much.

"They're here."

Feiyun glanced towards the table, Tianhuo's Guandao* was too far, she reached under the pillow and activated her dimensional ring, pulling out her small dagger coated in black from tip to tip. Her eyes sharp as the dagger in her hand.

The shadows moving swiftly outside circled the area once and then stopped in front of the window.

Feiyun heard the window open slightly.

'stupid... who trained these idiots and called them assassins?'

shortly after that sound, another few more similar sound of heavy body dropping to the floor could be heard.The presence disappeared.

Getting up from the bed, Feiyun opened the window to see a group of bodies covered head to toe in black lying all over the area. At a far end, FeiXu was poking a guy who seemed to have been knocked out with her sheath. FeiAn and Ruyi were standing by wiping their weapons clean of blood.

"Oh! such precious drugs. Mine!"

A cheerful voice broke the silence. FeiDu sat over a body, her hand holding onto a bag of powdered herbs.

"Looks like we're not needed."

Feiyun spoke from the window, catching all their attention.

"Master!"

As soon as they saw Feiyun, the 3 girls greeted her with respect.

"Princess, you should sleep. Leave things here to us."

"Oi Ruyi, Don't be rude to master!"

FeiXu glared at Ruyi who obviously rolled his eyes, sticking out a tongue at her.

Feiyun couldn't be bothered about the two bickering. Glancing at the more level-headed FeiAn, she ordered.

"Leave one alive. Throw the rest out, make sure no blood remains, this is suppose to be a holy place. "

Tianhuo watched as Feiyun ordered and promptly closed the window, making her way back to the bed with a satisfied smile on her face.

"Shall we sleep?"

================

Guandao* = Similar to a halberd/spear but the blade part was a crescent shaped blade.