Hi, and welcome back. This chapter became (very) long, but I didn't want to cut it in two parts. Forgive me that.

Please note: This chapter includes some intimate words and a little erotic.

19. The False Letter and Old Memories

Po rubbed his ear, just to be sure that he had heard right. But it seemed that Xinxin told what he had heard. In confusion, he stared around and watched how Shen stood up abruptly. His tears had gone, his anger had stayed. He made a hard step up to her.

"That's impossible!" he retorted bitterly. "Nobody beside us knew about us."

"And beside of me," Xinxin added. "Despite she told me everything after she realized that she has pregnant. But shortly after, another person knew about her situation. A black day for her."

Shen hissed. "Put your lies somewhere else…"

"Shen!" Po admonished. "Listen." The panda put his palms together. "Please!"

The peacock turned around. He didn't want to look in her face.

Xinxin didn't mind and began.

"After she came back home, she was silent the most time. It wasn't new for me. I know her since she was a child. But on the following day, she became nervous and very troubled. She asked me to examine her. I had been a midwife before I became a servant. And we found out, she was pregnant."

She made a pause. Shen meanwhile still didn't look at her.

"What was her reaction?" Po asked curiously.

The vixen continued calmly. "Well, first, she was happy, but in the same moment, she had shocked."

"Why?"

"Her parents didn't know about all. She never told them what happened in the mountains."

"Again a lie," Shen's voice muttered darkly. "She claimed her parents had died."

Xinxin sighed. "For her, they died a long time ago. They didn't exist for her anymore. They never accepted her as their daughter."

Po rubbed his head. "Why?"

"Because she is a girl."

Po made big eyes. "Only for that reason?"

"They had wished a boy, but instead they've got a girl. She never wanted to do the same with her child. But she panicked. "Who will take care for my child?" she asked herself repeatedly. She was sure, if her parents knew about it, it would be the end of all. By this time, she didn't know that it would be two children. Finally, she came to the resolution to write you a letter."

At this moment, the peacock turned around. The female fox stepped backwards and raised her paws when the wrathful eyes met her. Po tensed his muscles. Just to be ready for a fight. But Shen held back his blaze of anger.

"Believe me, my lord," Xinxin said. "She needed several tries to write a letter start. I stood next to her. She cried while she wrote. But before she could finish it, her mother came in without warning. She used to control her whenever she wanted. But this moment couldn't have been worse like this moment. She snatched the letter from her. I thought my heart would stop, knowing vaguely what she wanted to write. I was forced to leave the room, but I will never forget how angry she had been. I remember like it was yesterday."

17 years ago...

"Give me the letter back!"

But her mother held it up and avoided that the young peahen could reach it.

"You will never meet him again!" Her mother shouted. "Shame on you! Messing around with some fellow who just happened along and slanders your future husband?! I'm ashamed to call you my daughter! You are a disappointment to your family! And that brat, I will take care that nobody will know about it!"

The young peahen crossed her wings over her body. "That's my child! I will never take it away!"

"Don't you know what will happen if it comes out, that you have bastards from an unmarried lover?"

The girl kept silent, while her mother walked back and forth.

"No one will hear about your illegitimate child. It will happen before it hatches. It will be painless. Don't worry. It will feel nothing. You will be safe, and we avoid that it wastes the place on earth."

Yin-Yu couldn't believe what her mother said. "Y-you can't do this!"

"Interspecific hybrids have no place in the royal line!"

The girl gasped for air. She turned around and covered her face with her wings.

Her mother came closer. "Daughter, I only want the best for you. Think about what could happen if someone knows that you wear monstrosities in you from another man. You know what you have to expect. I only want to protect you from the death penalty. Better it than you."

The young girl had no force to stay on her feet. She sank to the ground, her trembling wings had effort to keep her up. But her mother showed no sympathy and crumpled up the letter.

"You will travel to Xiang today," she said icily and turned around. "Take care that he doesn't get to know about that. And if the time has come, I will take care for the rest."

With that, she threw the letter into a flame-filled fire bowl.

"I've never heard someone so long cry like that day," Xinxin told. "She left her home city on the same day, together with her mother. We had to carry her into the carriage. I traveled with them." She stood up from the bench. "But before we left the city, I saw how her mother wrote another letter and sent it away to an anonymous messenger. As I see it, this letter had reached you… unfortunately."

She eyed the lord, but he didn't move a muscle in his face.

The female sighed again. "The next day, she married him."

She lowered her glance. But Shen was still not satisfied.

Po tried to distract him. "But if her mother knew about that she was pregnant, how could she keep them alive?"

The vixen pressed her palms together. "Well, her mother… she died in unexplainable circumstances."

Now both of her listeners stared at her, but Po was the only one who said something.

"In unexplainable circumstances? Did she…?"

"I say nothing," Xinxin interrupted. "And I saw nothing. She only died, shortly after their arrival in the city. Maybe a heart attack."

She spoke it so slowly that everybody could hear that she didn't believe in a natural death. "After she had drunk something."

Po looked at Shen. The bird gave only a snorting sound of disgust, but now he started to ask a question.

"And how do you want to know that they aren't from Xiang?" His voice was dark, but calmer than before. "I could imagine he wanted to connect with her after the wedding, didn't he?"

Xinxin nodded sadly. "She was already pregnant. And yes, he did. But she never felt happy with him. After the wedding, he forced her what he wanted. She said that he had raped her more than to love her. It was a luck for her enough that she told him after that immediately that she was pregnant. He should believe it was because of him."

She walked slowly up and down. "After she had laid the eggs, he harassed her again."

Shen narrowed his eyes. "How did it come that she has no more children?"

The female fox stopped and gasped for air silently. "She asked for an old woman who gave her a remedy that made her barren for a while. She didn't want to have children from him. Never. At least it worked. She never became pregnant with that."

She silenced for a while. "After more children stayed away, he declared her worthless. After that, he never had sex with her again. Forgive me my word choice."

She bowed in an apologizing way.

"That's okay," Po said.

Xinxin's eyes wandered back to Shen. "But she could never forget you. All the more she broke inside when she heard about your death."

Po remembered what Xia had told him.

"I would imagine our conversation is over now."

The panda watched how Shen swung his long robe and pointed at the door. "Door is open."

"Wait!" Xinxin pleaded. "Before you send me away, I want to give you something."

She reached under her coat and held a rolled paper out to Shen. "This is the right letter. I was unable to bring myself to destroy it. I never read such a kind of text. Forgive me that I took a look at it, but I didn't know what she had written so private."

The peacock eyed the paper skeptically. "I thought her mother burned it."

"She threw the letter into the fire, but it deflected off the flames and landed beside it. She hadn't cared more about it. She was too deep in her rage to see it. But I had seen it."

She waved it in his direction. He was unwilling to reach for it. When he still refused, she put it on a table. Then she put her paws together under her coat and turned to the door.

"It's your decision."

With that, she opened the door and left them.

Po didn't know what he should do and tapped his fingers together. "Mm, well, I think, I think you want to be alone now, don't you?"

Shen didn't reply. He only stared at the paper which lay untouched on the table. Po didn't ask more and left the room, too. Outside Shen could hear how Po ran behind Xinxin and asked her what the letter said. Then there was silence.

His eyes stuck on the letter, remembering the ugly feeling after he had opened the first letter.

Suddenly, he grabbed it and wanted to rip it, but he hesitated in the last second. He closed his eyes; his wings pressed the paper tight.

How worse could it get more?

He stayed in this position over two minutes. Then he loosened his wings and opened them.

The paper was a little burned, but entire. He took a deep breath before he reeled it off and started to read:

"Shen – I find no words to start this letter and it hurt me more that you obtain my first letter in this occasion. I'm so ashamed of my doings. I did so many things wrong to you. Most of all I regret that I left you without a word. I was just a fool; you did nothing wrong. I'm the one who should blame for all. Are you angry with me now? You are right. I wasn't honest with you in some points. I hate myself for that, but I have to confess you something.

My real name isn't Fang. I have given up my real name. I thought, I had a chance to escape from my past. But now I see, it has been impossible.

The truth is, I'm from Jingang City. Maybe the city is a household name for you and I'm the daughter of the ruling parents. My name is Yin-Yu. But it had no meaning for me anymore. Despite all the money and gold, I was just a nobody for all. Either I wanted to end my days or to run away. I was promised to a man who I don't love and is glancing down at me despisingly that I could break under it. I was so in hope to find a new life after escaping from my city. I had hoped they would never find me, but they did. It would break my heart of the imagination that they could discover you. I thought, it would be the best to sacrifice my freedom to spare you. Forgive me, but I was too afraid. I'm not worth it that you waste your life to me. I had wished to see your glory. I believe you will be a strong ruler. But it's the best not with me. I'm too weak. Without you, I'm a shadow of my former self which is afraid of its own shadow. You are the strongest one in the world. After I met you, you gave me new life. It was more what you gave to me - your warmness, your abandon, your love. The universe was blest when it created you. You are sheer like the snow. And who am I? Someone who can't see her own colors? All I want to say is… my desire of forgiveness for what I have done. I can't ask for more than this and I would say it would be the best that I give up myself and punish myself for what I have done. But you have to know, you will become a father. I'm so scared to write that. It's hard for me to move the pen…"

At this place, the Chinese ideograph had blurred as if a water drop had fallen on it.

"I'm afraid for my child. Our child. It brings me back the time in our night. It was the best time in my life. I'm missing you so much. I'm always looking for you, thinking you are in my near. I feel you by my side like the last few days you were. I've never met someone like you. I was dead inside; but you gave me new life. I was nothing before I met you. But I really wish I could see how you carry our baby in your wings."

A thick stroke crossed the rest of the line. The pen had almost cut the paper. For the next clause she had overcome herself to write in a normal text, but her handwriting was shaky and speed-written.

"Get me out of here! I want to start a new life - with you! I want to live with you like I promised you in our night. Please, take me out of here! I can't stand it alone. I made a mistake… Call me a fool, but it will change nothing for what I feel for you. I will never look for another man, will be faithful to you. But if you think I'm not worth for you, then punish me at least. I would rather be a prisoner of you than to marry another man. But maybe I don't deserve someone like you. You've got the inner fortitude what I don't have. Even not a firestorm could break you down. But if it's your will to not deign a look at me, then take of our child at least. It will make you happier than I can do. I'm too weak…"

At this point the letter ended. Maybe it had been the point where her mother had taken away the paper.

Around Shen everything was quiet. So quiet. Slowly, he walked to the window. Snow was falling. Cold snow.

17 years ago… before the letter

He came back. She looked up. For many hours, she stood in his private rooms, only waiting for him. Finally, he opened the door. He wore two robes. Snowflakes hanged on his feathers and fluttered down to the wood floor.

She winced. He was limping.

"What happened to you?"

He threw the first robe away. "Nothing!"

Her eyes wandered down to his legs. "Is that a burn wound?"

"I just tried out something new."

"You cut yourself?"

"I only tried to wear my new creation."

"What new creation?"

"Metal claws. And I have to admit, they are sharp. But I will learn to walk with them without to cut myself."

"If they are so sharp, why do you wear them?"

"For my protection."

"But you hurt yourself."

"I don't mind. The main point is that my project works."

She looked at him apprehensively. "Should I clean it?"

His retort let her wince. "I can still care for myself!"

She ducked her head apologetically. "But is there nothing what I can do for you?"

"You only have to stay still and don't ask me questions."

She kept silent. He didn't want to talk about it anymore and walked away. "I will take a warm bath now."

With that, he disappeared into a side room.

After over a half hour, the door was opened again. She had stayed where he had left her. Now he stood in the door frame. She watched him. He wore a new fresh robe. His feathers looked fluffier than before. He stroked over his head with a small towel and came in.

"You can take a bath now, too."

She looked at him in surprise. "Me?"

He rolled his eyes. "How long have you been living here? If you want to live with me, I can expect that you have a wash sometime."

After a while she nodded. "Alright."

Slowly she passed him.

"And take this."

She eyed what he held out to her. It was a white robe with dark embroideries.

She stroked over her brown robe.

"I demand it," he ordered.

Carefully, she took it. "Uh, thanks." Shyly, she pointed at the swatch. "What's the color?"

"Silver-white and blue stitchery."

"Blue," she repeated thoughtfully. "Is that the color what has the same as the sky you showed me? It's a cold color, isn't it?"

But Shen didn't reply to it. "I just don't need it anymore. You can wear it."

The peahen wanted to ask more, but his eyes ordered her to keep silent now. She nodded slowly, then she turned around, but before she closed the door, he said something after her.

"New water is inside."

She paused in surprise. How did he know that she would accept a bath?

Never before she had enjoyed a bath like on that day. No servants, nobody in near. No other persons who said when she should leave it.

The bathroom wasn't the noblest one, but had all kinds of comfort. A big wooden bathtub, which was a piece of custom work, towels and a big mirror.

After she thought she had enough, she climbed out of the bathtub and took a big towel, which hang next to it. She rubbed her feathers dry as well as she could and wrapped it around her body. Then she walked to the big mirror which ranged almost from the ceiling to the ground so that she could see herself from head to feet. Her glance fell on the silver-blue robe. Blue had been the only color where Shen still didn't find an example to explain it to her. He had just told her, it's cold, but not so cold like snow. A cold color which should warm her up.

With a gentle smile, she took it.

Shen hissed. He sat on pillows in front of a fire and was cleaning the wounds on his feet. The burn and cut wound were just a few inches apart on the same foot. The metal claws had been really sharp.

He dipped a little towel into a liquid filled bowl and spread it on the sore points. Damn, it burned!

After that, he wrapped a bandage around his leg.

He had almost finished when the door of the bathroom opened. He looked up. His eyes stuck on her. Maybe it was because of a better-looking robe than the old brown one.

She stroked over her feather hair shyly and looked down on her new-old robe. "Doesn't it bleach me out?"

He shook his head slowly. "No, I like that,… um… Take a seat."

She walked over to him and bowed respectfully before she took place on a pillow in front of the fire so that she sat on his right site. Carefully, she stretched out her feet, which were still wet from the bath water.

Shen didn't take care of his wounded foot anymore and stared into the flames. Her eyes wandered to his bandaged leg.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not anymore."

Again silence what lay heavy on her soul.

"What makes your work?" she tried a new start.

His eyes moved higher, still staring at the fire. "I will need a lot of metal."

"Can't you buy it?"

He shook his head. "My parents cut my funds. I'm just nothing for them."

She watched him. "Did they hit you?"

"Much worse."

He silenced again.

She swallowed quietly before she dared to move her beak lips. "What have they done to you?"

His eyes scared her when he directed them at her. "They banished me from my own home."

She rubbed her wings nervously. "Why should they banish you?"

He hesitated with his answer and lowered his glance. "I…. I had to… kill."

When he saw her eyes became bigger, he added quickly: "They wanted to threaten me. I eliminated them before they could do the same to me."

Her afraid expression changed to anxious surprised. "Why should they threaten you?"

He lifted his face and narrowed his eyes. "To destroy my dream."

He looked away and stared back into the flames of the fire. "Nobody understood what I wanted. But I will stand up. Everyone should look up to me instead looking down. Everyone should see how strong I am. Despite my color. But they will do one day. And I will take back what they took away from me."

A heavy, sad atmosphere surrounded them.

"I know that feeling."

He looked at her while she continued.

"A place without day and to feel like in an inner prison."

Shen inclined his head. "Do you have a family?"

"N-no, how I said, my parents don't exist anymore, but they had hated me."

"Why should they hate you?"

She swallowed. "I'm a girl, but my parents wanted a boy."

"Oh, that's really… bad."

She wrapped the robe closer around herself. "Is it bad?"

The peacock didn't understand. "What?"

"Is it so bad to be a woman?"

"Why should it? You are beautiful ehm…"

The peahen sighed deeply and stood up. Shen watched her silently, how she walked a few steps away.

"But I want to be more than something beautiful which you can stare at only," she said bitterly. "But I have nothing more than this."

The peacock cursed his words and stood up, too. He crossed his wings behind his back and went over to her. "But you have something special."

She gave him a surprised look. "What?"

"That you don't see colors." He let wander his glance through the room. "Colors exist to please our life. That's the reason why my family created the firework."

But in the next second, his face expression became serious. "But the most time they don't. It classifies us. The world would be a better place if we don't see colors."

A touch of worship crossed her face. "Do you really think so?"

He narrowed his eyes. "I know it."

With a view of admiration to him, she stood stiffly and not knowing what to say. Silently, he stepped up to her. Trapped in their eye contact.

Suddenly, a loud slam. Cold icy strong wind blew through the room. Both were so frightened that Shen jumped forward, wrapped his wings around her and pulled her away into a corner.

With wide eyes, they stared at the window which had flown open. When there was no one to be seen, their bodies relaxed.

"Just the wind," Shen muttered with relief.

He winced when he realized he was petting over her head. Quickly, he relinquished his hold on her and ran forward to close the window with effort. After he had blocked it, he leaned against it. Everyone was hearing the quick breath of the other.

Then they chuckled.

"Oh dear, I've got a shock," she said and rubbed her neck.

Shen stood up. "I think, I'm gonna have a word with the window builder."

She smiled and went over to him. "You shouldn't be so hard."

He cleaned his throat, holding back his graveness. "Without strength you lose very fast."

She sighed and laid her wings in his. "You are strong."

"Master Shen!" a loud voice cried.

At the same moment, the door was opened and a one-eyed wolf looked inside. "I heard a loud crash. Is everything alright?"

The peacock avoided her wings and turned to him. "Don't worry, everything is okay. It was just a strong wind."

"We are in a blizzard," the wolf explained. "But we blocked all doors."

"But not this window," Shen muttered to himself.

"Pardon?"

The peacock didn't reply. His side-glance fell on the peahen who was shaking away the snow from her robe.

"Uh, that's okay. I don't need you tonight anymore."

The wolf was a little confused and looked from one to another. Finally, he shrugged his shoulders. "Okay. Well then. Good night."

"Good night," both birds said with one voice.

She covered her beak. "Oh, I'm sorry."

He smirked secretly.

With a smile, he eyed the glittery snowflakes in her half dry head feathers which started to melt slowly.

"You've got snow in your feathers," he said and reached out his wing. She didn't move when he rubbed them out. She let it happen. He stopped, staring at her. Slowly, he took his wing away from her. Her look was odd. No smile, no sadness, just a blank page.

With hesitation, she lifted her wing. "You, too."

"Really?"

He touched his cheek and felt cold snowflakes.

"Yes."

He winced when her wing touched his face. His eyes kept on her. When she realized his watching look, she lowered her wings.

"I'm sorry."

"No, that's…"

He shook his head.

A coldness lay in the room because of the wind, which had blown inside.

"I don't think to take a second bath," he muttered. "Are you feeling cold?"

"A little."

He waved his head to the right site. "Let's go back."

They sat back on the pillows. But when she had taken place, Shen stood up once more and fetched a blanket.

"This will warm you up."

With these words, he wrapped it around her, then he sat next to her and wrapped the other half over himself. Shortly after he had closed the blanket, she huddled up against him automatically. She shuddered a little, but soon after he felt how her body relaxed when snug warmth encompassed her.

"Your bandage shifted."

He looked at his foot. Indeed, the towel around his wound had loosened. "Oh."

He bent down, but before his wing touched the leg, another wing crossed his path. His sharp eyes admonished her activity, but this time her glance was firm.

"Please, let me fix it."

His intention to push her wings away became weaker. Finally, he let her do as she liked. Carefully, she took the ends of the bandage and took it away completely.

His leg flinched under her touch. She suppressed her wish to say something. Instead, she eyed the wounds for a moment, then she wrapped the bandage around the leg and fixed it with a strong knot.

All the time she didn't look at him. But she felt his watching eyes.

"That should do," she said and sat back on her place, still avoiding his glance. She watched how he took his leg closer.

Slowly, she moved her eyes at him. But his expression was a closed book. He showed no emotion. Quickly, she shirked from his look and kept distance between him and herself.

When Shen didn't see her eyes anymore, he blinked. A gentle sadness covered his face. He sighed silently. This woman made it difficult for him to keep his proud grandeur. Indulgence was an unacceptable word in his mind until now. But it happened almost too many times the last few days. Just because of her. He was apprehensive to give in. That was weakness. He couldn't afford a weak point. And it was too sorrowful.

His beak trembled.

Never come back!

He should never come back.

That's what his father had shouted him in his face.

His own father.

Everyone of whom he thought they were worth to be loved by him, had turned their back on him.

Everyone.

He tensed.

Nobody should dare it again.

He looked at her when she wrapped her wings around herself.

"Are you still feeling cold?" he asked.

She gave him an apologizing look. "No, it's okay to me."

He snorted snappishly. "I see."

He moved a little closer. Stiffly she stayed on her place. Then slowly, he laid his wing over her shoulder and closed the blanket around her and himself. "Better?"

Hesitantly, she nodded.

"Fine," he said condescendingly. "Do me the favor and don't be so cramped. It makes me nervous."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Quickly she snuggled against him. "Is it better for you?"

He gave her a disdainful side-glance. "Close enough."

With that, he rubbed his forehead. To his relief she closed her eyes. Then it became silent around them. Just the fire crackled.

After a while, she lay her head on his long neck. That unfamiliar touch made him wide awake, but he felt like paralyzed at the same time. For a brief moment, he couldn't think, just feel. His wing was still resting on her back. Gently, he stroked over her back. She sighed deeply.

Did she like that?

Suddenly, he felt like a little boy who didn't know how things worked. Where was the limit? He had never talked with his parents about such kind of things.

He looked down at her and breathed in her smell of fresh soap. Never before a woman was so close to him like now. Except few days ago when she had been ill, but this was so different. It was different from the last time.

She lifted her head higher. Was that a good sign?

Her forehead touched his chin. A heat rose inside his head. Slowly, he wrapped his other wing around her.

Did she feel cold again?

He caught his breath quietly.

He wasn't allowed to let himself go. Where was his control?

But it felt so good. Who would care about it? Not his parents, not her family.

Who cared about that?

He winced. Her wing rested on his shoulder.

He trembled inside. He enjoyed it being ensnared. In his teen time, he had often tried to kiss a girl for fun, but all what he had gotten was a slap or a push, despite he was a prince. No female wanted to have him in their near.

She nestled herself on his neck. The peacock was like paralyzed. Didn't she know what she was doing? But she seemed to like that. His finger feathers cramped.

Damn it, let it happen!

He turned her around gently, their upper bodies almost touched each other. But he leaned forward and cradled her. She reacted again. His eyes had focused on her beak.

Just a little… just one time.

He pressed his beak lips on hers. His sanity stopped working.

He couldn't believe what he did.

If his parents saw him, they wouldn't be happy. He was kissing an unknown strange woman. She stroked his back. It felt so good. He wanted more.

"No!"

She pushed him away gently and fled into the opposite part of the room. Still in trance, he looked after her. Step by step, his mind became clear again. Then he followed her.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

He saw how she trembled. He sighed. "I'm sorry…"

Did he cross the line?

"I just wanted to touch your lips, not more."

He pressed his lips together. Maybe it was the wrong words, but damn, what was he saying?

She was still trembling.

He snorted. "I'm not good enough for you, am I?"

He gave himself an inner slap again. What did he promise her?

"N-no, no," she stuttered. "I – I liked that…"

He stared at her in surprise. "Really?"

He came a little closer. Her shy eyes directed at him. The lord reached out his wings, but she raised her wings.

"It's just…"

"Because of…"

"No, not because of you… it's more… I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

She wrapped her wings around herself. "I never did…"

He stared at her in surprise. "You are a virgin?"

She tensed up and covered her face.

Silently, he glanced at her. "Someone like you who travels and you still are…"

"I was always afraid," she said quickly. "I can't trust anyone."

He narrowed his eyes skeptically. "And what about me?"

She gazed him. "I… I don't know. I don't know what I shall think. It's all so… so strange."

He silenced. Then he spoke calmly. "You are not the only one here."

She lifted her head in surprise. "You, too?"

He dropped his face a little while she spoke on.

"Does it mean you never consorted with a woman?"

He took a breath, came closer and petted over her face gently.

"They hate my color," he whispered. "For them I'm only a doom."

She closed her eyes, enjoying his touch.

"I don't mind," she said. "Either if you would have a colorful plumage, it would be difficult for me to see what color you have."

He said nothing. Instead, he lowered his hands and wrapped them around her torso to take her closer. His eyes wandered back to the pillows where they had almost done what they wanted to do.

Hesitantly, she followed his glance.

Before it was a funny game, but now it became serious.

Shen rubbed his finger feathers around her. Was she ready for that? But there was a heat what they couldn't ignore. They wanted it, but was that the right way? He knew that there was great responsibility in marriage. All of a sudden, he didn't feel like an adult, but he had to lead her like a man leaded a woman in a dance.

"You said you would stay. Could you imagine staying longer?"

"How much longer?"

"Very longer."

She couldn't avoid his eyes. She was like hypnotized.

"Would you give me the honor to stay with me?"

It was like his question a few days ago. To stay as long as his project had done. Nobody knew how long it would be, but long. Now she should decide her future, sharing with him.

She didn't know why, but her instinct gave her the push to give him a nod.

He sighed with a smile. "Then stay with me a very long time."

He wrapped his wings around hers. Slowly, he guided her back to the fire.

Her heartbeat became faster. She was afraid, but excited at the same time. He had proposed marriage to her and was walking with her to the bridal night now.

She blinked. She had never thought in her life to come together with a man this way.

Shen winced. They had already reached the pillows, but she had stopped. Her face had dropped. She seemed to lose her courage and force.

The peacock didn't know what to do instead. It was difficult to lead an army in war, but this was more complicated but wonderful.

A brief shake went through her body when he started to rub his finger feathers around her wings.

Then he came closer and lifted her chin. Her shy silver eyes met his firm red ones. But this time they weren't serious. They looked so warmly.

Shen forced himself to a gentle smile.

"Blue is cold," he began. "Green less cold, yellow is warmer, orange very warm, but red… Do you remember?"

"It's hot like fire," she finished.

He chuckled. "Did I ever tell you how many red feathers I have?"

"No."

"Let me make you a suggestion. Count my red feathers and I count your silver feathers."

First, she wanted to smile, but then it died. His red feathers were on his head and tail feathers, but her silver feathers more over her body.

The lord sighed deeply. His try had given not the success what he had hoped.

His wings wandered higher and stopped on her shoulders. She watched his movements, his face like a mystery.

"Trust me." His deep, slow voice let her fall like in a trance. "Just trust me."

That was all what he knew to say.

The last clear thought disappeared when their lips came closer. His wings caressed her. Everything around them blurred. She didn't mind when she felt how her robe fell down.

Next morning, in the early hours

She breathed in the cold air through the open window of the quarter. It felt like after a restart. She wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. A pleasant shiver ran over her body when caring wings stroke her upper body gently and someone clung to her from behind. Petting her neck, the white peacock leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

"Good morning."

He touched her softly and stroked over her chest. She enjoyed his close near.

For a while, they kept together and looked at the snowed landscape. The blizzard was already gone and silent lay over it. Finally, she turned around to him. He had whipped on his robe provisionally so that his shoulders lay free.

She smiled at him. "You will catch a cold."

With that, she moved closer, put both ends of her blanket over his shoulders, but the blanket wasn't big enough so that they had to stand very closely linked.

The lord gave her a chuckling laugh. Without fear, she let fall herself forward and her unclothed body leaned against him.

Nestling they rubbed their heads each other.

She sighed with pleasure. "It was wonderful."

He smiled. "You, too."

She lifted her head. Their faces came closer until their beaks touched each other. Then her head slithered down and leaned on his neck.

He sighed deeply. With one wing, he petted over her head, with the other one he wrapped her torso.

The first rays of the sun appeared over the horizon.

"And if I rule China," he muttered. "You will stand by my site. I will make you to the mightiest woman in the kingdom."

She stroked over his wing. "Sway and wealth are unimportant for me." With that, she looked in his face seriously. "It's important that we stay together."

He breathed with satisfaction and lifted the wings of his wife to his beak and kissed her finger wings. "Never in my life… no one gave me a better gift than you did last night."

She wrapped her finger feathers closer around the wings of her husband. "The heaven couldn't have given me another man like you."

He added his pressure around her wings before he let them wander down. She followed his example and they embraced intensely.

The banished white prince couldn't hold it back. Her touch brought tears to his eyes. So strong that one of them dropped on her cheek.

With shock, she looked at him. "Have I done anything wrong?"

"No…" Quickly he wiped the tears away. "It's just… the gunpowder from yesterday. I didn't get it out enough from my feathers."

She forced a smile. "Maybe we should take a bath together in the future. I could clean you."

"Maybe not a bad idea," and stroke over her back. She chuckled with relief and snuggled against him again, without seeing new tears in his eyes.

He couldn't get enough to feel her and to stroke her back.

It should never end.

The white peacock let fall the letter and watched the dancing snowflakes in front of the window in the night.

Have a nice weekend. ;)