Absolution

In the shadows by a river a lone figure stood. Her dark eyes scoured the waters wisely. Small fishes swam in ease.

Xiǎo Mán protested glumly. "You don't have to guard them. They're just fish. No one is going to slaughter them,"

She turned. "I am sorry,"

She glared. "Are you sorry because you're not my mother? Are you sorry because you're here and she's not? Are you sorry that-"

"Xiǎo Mán," she called: quiet and reassuring. "What he was going to do… I stopped him. I can't apologise for that. I can't apologise for not giving your mother strength. I can't apologise for your grief. I want to but I can't. That's why I'm here."

She stared up with eyes of angry tears. "What strength?"

She approached. "We are Earth Mothers'. It is our place to ensure the longevity of peace, others' happiness, love and goodness. In order to do so we have to be strong. In ages past the strength of the mother was taken by the daughter until the mother died. My grandmother died when my mother was an infant. My mother died when I was a child. I died after Yì Rú was born against the Shuǐ Móshòu-"

Xiǎo Mán leapt up, aghast. "Then it is true! My mother died because I took her strength… I… I killed…"

She staggered. Her legs trembled violently. Her hands quivered uncontrollably. A sob tore at her throat.

"No! No!" she shook her head. "No! No! No! No!"

"If you must blame someone then blame me. I died with the Shuǐ Móshòu because the Priest took my blood to empower it,"

Xiǎo Mán spun. "Why did you let that happen? You were her mother! You were meant to be there for her! You were meant to be the great Líng'er that my mother looked up to!"

She was caught in a tight embrace. "I wasn't a good mother. I failed my people. I failed my daughter. My husband lived on in agony. He suffers even now, but that doesn't change how things are. Xiǎo Mán, you're a child. You need to go home. You need to grieve. One day you will see her again but it isn't for a very long time yet,"

She squirmed. "What about you? Have you found your mother?"

Líng'er paused, frowned and then replied carefully. "My mother stands me with even when distance is between us,"

The tears began to drench her qípáo.

Author's Note: Am I the only one who has been flummoxed by the fact that Zhào Líng'er is almost extremely well known for wearing a qípáo even though she's of Miáo ethnicity? I understand perfectly that being of one ethnicity does not equate to wearing solely your ethnicities clothing and that, for most of her life, she lived on that island but it still seems odd to me.

Ah~ I suppose it's now blatantly obvious why Líng'er didn't simply race off to spent time with her daughter. Poor Xiǎo Mán! Someone had to tell her. She had to know for when her own motherhood comes: if it ever will –SPOILER ALERT : she falls in forbidden love with a demon : SPOILER ALERT. She also needed to be comforted and her grandmother, I feel, is the perfect person to give her the comfort that she needs.

Oh, Confessions, how shall I fare with you? Very well, if I do say so myself.

Thank you for reading. I do hope that you have enjoyed this chapter. I apologise if I have disappointed you or made you cry – though I highly doubt that.