Fanfiction: Mo Yuan and Shao Wan - Chapter 28 (Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms 三生三世十里桃花)

Chapter 28

written by kakashi, with inserts by Miniorchid

When Shao Wan woke up at Kunlun for the second time, she was less disoriented than the first time, but even more furious. She immediately remembered that Mo Yuan had brought her to this hell against her will. He had blindsided her on that mountain. She had been stupid enough to feel thrilled to fight with and not against him, but the first chance he got, he had betrayed her again.

She was incredibly weak because of his seal. At least, someone had healed her wounds. Also, the Celestial bastard had given her energy, quite a bit, but she did not owe him any debts for this, she decided, quite the opposite. She felt like she had gorged on sticky sweets and was soon going to be viciously sick. That she detected the faint smell of the fox woman in this room didn't help with her nausea.

Fuming and plotting what to do next, she stroked Fong Hung’s tiny head. The Celestials had put him in a bowl with water next to her bed. There was a small, perfectly shaped lotus leaf in there, for him to sit on. They would not be able to mollify her with gestures like this.

Somebody knocked.

“Come in and I rip your head off,” she said, much more softly then she had planned to. Even her voice was weak in this Celestial prison. The door opened and one of the white-clad boys cautiously put his head in. It was the one she had seen at the Festival, some kind of prince. She would never understand why a prince would choose to put on these horrid white clothes and run around chanting “Shifu, Shifu” instead of ensuring he became king soon.

“Venerated Goddess,” he began, “would it please you to-”

“Where is he,” she hissed, “bring me to him this very instant.”

"Shifu is in seclusion,” the prince murmured, “he is recuperating and is not to be disturbed. He told us to take care of your every need.”

“I very much doubt that you could,” she snapped. All those virginal boys in white, they made her very angry. When she had collapsed at the cave entrance, cradling Fong Hung’s small form, they had milled around her like headless chicken in fright.

She had wanted to scream at them, but her voice had not complied. They had called their Shifu, powerless and cowardly creatures that they were, and he had taken her up into his arms and brought her back to this room, where he put her on the bed. She had tried to hit him, but she was too weak and he had simply caught her wrist in his hand and looked down at her.

“Rest,” he said, “and heal.”

She had lost consciousness afterwards, or he had made sure she did, cunning bastard that he was.

“We have brought you food, Shimu,” said the white prince.

“Call me that again and I will tear you apart, hair for hair and limb for limb!” she screamed, outraged enough for it to come out halfway loud.

Behind him, a second head appeared. It was the other disciple she had met at the festival, one with a particularly morose expression. He was the one who had brought the message about Fong Hung, just when the Celestial Bastard had made his despicable intentions known.

Wife! Her! Of him! Killing him would not suffice to pay him back the insult.

The morose one entered the room with a tray in his hands, throwing her furtive glances. They were right to be afraid, she would murder them if she could.

The food he put before her was horrid. Pure, boring, bland, awful Celestial food. Just looking at it made her more nauseous. Eating it would make her throw up for good. She violently pushed away the tray and the dishes slid to the floor, splattering and soiling everything.

“Get out!” she screamed.

They did not obey, but came to clean up the mess with water and mops, looking troubled and dejected. Ye heavens, what nitwits did Mo Yuan keep here?

“Please don’t be angry, Shimu,” the second one murmured as he bowed.

“What can we bring Shimu to make her more comfortable?” the white prince inquired, also bowing.

“I am not your Shimu!” she wanted to scream, but again, her voice failed her and she had a coughing fit. She looked at them in utter despair. What was fate punishing her for?

While staring at their innocent, chagrined faces, she had an idea.

“A bath, if you please. I very much would like to take a warm bath,” she purred.

***

Die Feng hurried to Shifu’s meditation cave, feeling deeply ashamed. Shifu had only been able to cultivate for the past 4 days, which was not enough to recover from his wounds and the depletion of energy. His last instruction had been to keep Shimu under watch and not to disturb him. Now, the situation was eerily similar to the days 17th had caused trouble, forcing Shifu out of seclusion too early.

Die Feng did not have to wait for long, Shifu felt his presence outside the meditation cave and opened up the energy barrier.

“Shifu”, Die Feng bowed, “please forgive me, Shimu has...”

“She’s gone?” Shifu opened his eyes. “Already?”

Die Feng bowed again, very deeply, “we searched every corner of Kunlun Mountain, but she remains unseen.”

Shifu didn’t respond, so Die Feng continued anxiously, “should we go after her?”

“Her powers are sealed… she can’t be far,” Shifu went back to meditation just like that.

Nodding eagerly, glad to be given this chance to correct his mistake, Die Feng went to gather the other disciples and ordered them to head down the Mountain to search for the Goddess.

Second Disciple caught up with Die Feng’s cloud. “You didn’t tell Shifu how she escaped?”, he inquired in his sullen way.

Die Feng gave 2nd a warning look and said: “It wasn’t our fault she took her clothes off in front of us while we prepared the bath for her!”

Second still wore his displeased, haughty expression, which seemed uncalled for to Die Feng. “So tell me, 2nd brother, why didn’t you keep better guard outside?”

2nd turned red. “She declared she wanted to bath in the Lotus Pond instead of bathing inside. We couldn’t very well follow and watch, could we? She was naked!”

2nd and Die Feng hopped off their clouds at the Kunlun Gate, waiting for the others to catch up.

“Just pray Shifu doesn’t find out,” Die Feng warned.

“Why?” 2nd seemed confused.

“Are you prepared to duel with Shifu?”

2nd went from red to white as he pondered the prospects of having to face a jealous God of War.

****

Shao Wan waited patiently underneath the large lotus leaf, slowly counting to a hundred many times. When she was sure that enough time had passed, she cautiously moved her ears above the water - all was quiet. The white fools had run down the mountain in search of her, like she had planned. She would be able to go down unseen and slip out the gates now.

She climbed out of the Lotus Pond and shook herself, spraying water everywhere.

When she turned around to search for Fong Hung, she came face to face with Mo Yuan, who stood silently waiting in the shade, hands behind his back.

What a sneaky, hateful bastard, coming out of seclusion early.

“I can sense your aura anywhere, Shao Wan,” he said, “you cannot fool me.”

His eyes left her face, but only very briefly. He blinked.

“Get dressed,” he said and presented her with a set of white robes. Student garb. How much more did he want to degrade her?

“I don’t wear white. I was just about to go back home to change.”

“You cannot leave here, Shao Wan,” he said matter-of-factly, “it is too dangerous.”

The patronizing sly numbskull. Telling her what to do.

“How dare you kidnap me,” she hissed, her anger boiling up again, “unseal my powers this instant!”

“I will not do that,” he replied, so infuriatingly calm, “your powers are completely unstable. You need to heal first. Then, we need to make sure you can control your powers. Then I will unseal them. Then you can go.”

So he had really taken her prisoner? Had Cheng Yin been right after all? Had she really thought she could trust a Celestial? She briefly thought about attacking him to fight her way to freedom, but with her powers sealed, he would take her down with one finger. That would be too humiliating.

“I need to check your injuries,” he continued.

“I owe you no debt for this,” she declared viciously, “you took me against my will!”

“You would have died.”

“Then you should have let me die and take that bastard with me!” she exclaimed.

“I won’t let you die again."

She glared at him. He glared back ... but his eyes did not hold hers for long.

"Get dressed,” he repeated.

Aha.

“Why? You can barely hold yourself back seeing me naked like this? And you’re thinking it wouldn’t be honorable to take advantage of me in my current state?”

Judging from the troubled look he gave her now, this was exactly what he was thinking.

Oh. This was excellent. She would seduce him - and then flee during an opportune moment. His eyes that flickered to her nakedness and away again certainly betrayed his need. If she played this right, she would get him to do exactly what she wanted. Yes, she could finally pay him back for that meeting at Zhe Yan’s orchard too.

“Maybe I want to be taken advantage of,” she said slowly and took a step towards him.

“Don't do this,” he said, his voice dropping to a hoarse whisper.

“I know you will be gentle.”

She stepped closer. He looked at her like a drowning man, now no longer trying to keep his eyes in check - and for a very brief moment, she felt sorry she would just trick him.

“Having great foresight, I have already sent the children away. Where should we go?”

“I came looking for you at the Demon encampment that night.”

Why was he stalling? A Demon would have taken her right after she’d finished speaking, on the spot.

“You shouldn’t scare poor Demons like that. I’m sure they couldn’t sleep afterwards.”

“I wanted to spend the night with you.”

She felt her heart flutter, but she quickly reminded herself how badly she had let Fong Hung down that time. Cursed Celestial, looking at her with his black eyes as if she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. She would not fall for his tricks again.

She turned around to fish Fong Hung out of the pond and sat him on her shoulder. “I have always wanted to see your famous meditation cave, Celestial. Will you take me there?"

He still hesitated. She took another step in his direction to make sure he took the bait and he finally nodded, quickly turning around to lead the way.

A triumphant smile spread across her face as she followed him.

Chapter 29a