Chapter Twenty-Seven

Adjustment

Bacchus watched the woman across from him as she delicately and deliberately plucked the fruits from the bowl and chewed them politely. She did not look up from her plate at him and reached for her tea, sipping at it quietly and replacing it to where it had been sitting. They ate in their room at the table in almost complete silence. It was beginning to grate on his nerves when he finally decided to speak up.

"You are quiet this morning. Have I done something to give offence?"

"Not at all." She looked up at him, blinking her bright eyes.

"If it is about last night, I did not mean to make you uncomfortable." He offered, but the quiet woman only shook her head, a dim smile on her face.

Their nights together had not half the passion that he shared with Zi Yu the night he met her. Much unlike her twin, Fei Shi was a completely submissive lover and allowed him to do with her as he willed without any protest. It was almost mechanical the way she moved with him. Even on their wedding night he felt as if she had only acted in duty rather than actual desire, making him feel guiltier than he had ever felt the next day. Though there was never any true emotion behind it, she still initiated intimacy with him the following night much to his surprise. Fool that he was, he did not deny her advances. He had even tried to be as romantic as he could the next night by having a private dinner with her in their room and tried to initiate with her first, but Fei Shi hardly gave him any reaction and returned to moving automatically. He understood she viewed sex as something that just occurred in order to get her pregnant. While the thought of becoming a father had been one he was still uncertain about, he also knew that it was expected of them and desperately so. With that in mind, Bacchus figured he might as well at least try to get her to like him.

His attempts to woo her went on for roughly a week when he noticed she was starting to warm up to him. She had seemed unsure at first when he had told her that he was going to take her into the city and spend the entire day by her side. Bacchus quickly learned and took note of what she seemed to enjoy and what she didn't during that day. Resulting with their nights feeling less forced and more relaxed.

But then, last night, Bacchus had gotten it into his head that he was going to try to convince her take the lead but as he should had known, she didn't appear comfortable with being in control of their intimacy in that way. He was quick to apologize and told her that it was all right if she did not want to have an active night. He admitted to her that he could also use a night off. She didn't say much after that and for the first night since their wedding, they did not end the night with sex and simply slept in each other's arms, which she seemed glad for.

"You had simply caught me unawares."

"Are you often not allowed to do as you please?" He asked her. Fei Shi's cheeks brightened as she turned from him.

"I see." Bacchus smiled at her. An idea popped into his head then as he stood and held out his hand to her. "Come with me then."

Without hesitation she placed her hand in his and rose, walking beside him as they left the large room. When she realized where it was he was leading her, she stopped.

"Something the matter?" He asked her.

"Why are you taking me to the bath chamber?"

"We do not have to limit our time together to only our bed at night." He whispered into her ear. When he saw the hint of fear in her eyes, Bacchus sighed and pulled close to her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "If you do not wish to-"

"I will try." She spoke calmly, but the way she had gripped his arm told him otherwise.

With a grin returning to his face, he walked her into the dark and damp room where the pools awaited them. She was shy at first, unsure of how to approach him. He told her to do whatever she was comfortable with and that he would do whatever it was she asked. After a short while, she started to relax with him and responded well to his encouragement. Soon she took action on her own, a boldness beginning to come from her deft movements.

There in the darkness of the bath hall, she had come alive and her passion well exceeded the night he had spent with her sister. Bacchus was taken aback by her newfound prowess and welcomed it, letting all of his worries fall into the back of his mind for later as he lost himself in his wife.

Afterward, he opened a few of the windows to allow some light in and rejoined her in the water where she was waiting.

"That mark on your back, what does it mean?" She asked as she lay back onto his chest.

"It is a guild mark for the wizard guild I belong to." He reflected on his past life and his friends that he had left behind. "I suppose I should see to getting it removed."

"Is this something you have done with other women?" She asked him suddenly. Bacchus knew his body tensed for a second and that she was no fool to believe him if he said he had not. No use in lying to her.

"I have." He was nearly ashamed to admit it to her. He learned from their first night together that she had been a virgin. The discovery had left him slightly awkward knowing that she knew full well he was not in the least bit pure.

Fei Shi said nothing. A knock at the door startled both of them. She quickly slipped from his lap and went to the other side of the small pool.

"What is it?" Bacchus called to the door.

"Qi Peng has returned to the city." His and Fei Shi's eyes met. With a mutual sense of haste, they hurried to dry off and change.

His fingers restlessly tapped against the lacquered wood arm of his seat. Fei Shi seemed to sense his unease and stilled him by covering his hand with her own. Without looking at her, he steadied himself and continued to stare at the large doors across the hall from them. It's been over two weeks since she left and there hasn't been a single word. Bacchus opened and closed his hands, flexing the muscles all the way up his arms.

"I am sure she is safe." The woman to his left spoke softly and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. He said nothing and remained with his eyes focused ahead. When the large double doors finally opened, he straightened his posture and pulled his hand out from under his wife's.

Qi Peng removed his helmet and took a knee to bow before them. He was sweating and looked as if he had ridden through the night.

"My Lord and Lady." He lifted his head to look at both of them.

"Well?" Bacchus wasted no time on courtesies.

"We found Captain Yu's sword." Qi Peng rose and spoke directly to him.

"His sword?" Bacchus' brows furrowed as the Lieutenant pulled the sheathed weapon from his side to present it to him.

He gave a curt nod and seemed to hesitate before going on, glancing over at Fei Shi. She nodded to signal for him to continue.

"It had been poorly discarded of just outside of the Moutain Pass Village near where we found his burnt remains, or rather what was left of them."

Bacchus' posture straightened as the hairs on the back of his neck rose.

"Was-"

Qi Peng shook his head, cutting him off from his question. He had felt a small relief knowing she could still be alive, but it was quickly twisted into a frenzy of possibilities that he did not care to think on.

"There were signs of a fight, but any trail that might have been left behind has become too cold for any of my men to follow."

"And the villagers?"

"They say they only saw her when she passed through with the Captain."

Bacchus clenched his jaw, considering where else she could have been taken. There was no other clear way through the mountains than that single road. The only other option was by another pass, but from what he had been told they had all been sealed up and abandoned years ago.

"If it is of any solace, the magic suppression tattoo I placed on her should have worn off by now, so we know she is not completely defenseless."

"Magic suppression tattoo?" His voice rose with him as he looked down at the other man.

"By law any one person who poses a potential threat to the palace by use of magic is to be given the tattoo upon their departure."

"Why was I not told of this?" He demanded, to which Qi Peng arrogantly quirked an eyebrow at him.

"It is a commonly know law, Emperor."

Bacchus seethed where he stood, ready to strangle the worn out man when his wife spoke to diffuse the building tension.

"Tell my men that they are to join in on your search. Send a third of them to the port to see if any suspicious ships or people have been seen. The other two-thirds can be separated into the different search parties as needed and are to give a fresh eye to whatever has already been searched."

"Understood. Thank you my lady." Qi Peng bowed at her and looked to either of them before turning and leaving the hall. Once the doors had closed behind him, Bacchus let out a heavy and frustrated sigh as sat back into his seat.

"A third of your garrison to the ports?" He looked over at Fei Shi, letting her hold his hand once more.

"Should I have sent more?" She maintained a calm expression, giving him some ease.

"No." He returned the squeeze she gave him. "I appreciate you sending even a single man."

The rest of their day had been a blur of routine and talking further with Qi Peng about where they had already searched and planning where to check next. He sensed a feeling of resentment coming from Qi Peng during their follow up meeting, but assumed it was due to the stress of the search and his friend's death.

He returned by evening to eat dinner with Fei Shi and told her of what he had learned. She appeared concerned, but did not speak up much and finished her meal quietly. That night he tossed and turned in bed, unable to get comfortable enough to sleep. Fei Shi offered herself to him asking if it would help him, but he kindly declined, telling her to go back to sleep.

It was nearing dawn when Bacchus slipped his arm around Fei Shi to pull her close and kissed her. She stirred, blinking her heavy eyes open.

"Jian?"

"I am going to join the search for her." She did not appear shocked by his statement.

"She is an important person to you." Her green eyes were half open, but he knew she was fully aware of what was happening.

"She is." He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. He noticed the way she winced and released her hand. "I will return soon."

Almost regrettably, he slid from their bed and dressed himself, giving the drawn curtain a lingering look as he packed away a few clothes. Admittedly he had grown quite fond of his wife already and found he was hesitant to leave her. Especially to search for another woman. The thought made him hate and war with himself before finally deciding that this was something he had to do. Nearly a second thought, he packed away his armor, noticing how heavy it felt. He hoped he would not have to don it, but there was a shaking in his chest that was difficult to ignore.

A/N: I'm on a roll this weekend guys.

-Betty B.