THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN LOTUS (COMPLETE)

CHAPTER 11

Xavier had just submitted the designs for the wedding robes to the tailor department. They only have twelve days to finish making the garments. He had managed to find the best silk brocade for the robes and what was left was for his bride's headdress. He didn't want a heavy headdress since she didn't like it but he wanted something that would make her look elegant and beautiful on that day.

He received news that the gifs his parents had sent had arrived. He was so happy that his parents approved even though he had a feeling it took them a long time to accept it. They had sent three carriages full of gifts and he wondered exactly what they had sent.

He went to welcome the carriages with some of the disciples and soldiers from the palace. According to the mountain's rules, no outsiders were allowed inside so he sent away the messengers and offered them a good compensation package. His men took over the carriages and they returned to the mountain. He had the men carry the wrapped gifts to the hall his bride was currently in. he had not seen her the whole day since he had been busy.

Lately she was also busy looking into matters of the palace. He could sense that something was off and soon it will be all revealed.

He entered the hall and found her sleeping. He couldn't help but grin as he walked towards her. She opened her eyes but didn't change her sleeping position. He took the steps and sat right besides her. He brushed her hair and looked at her.

'I'm sorry I woke you up,' he said and she smiled at him.

'No, you didn't. It's good that you came. What's all this?' she asked noticing the gifts being brought in the hall.

'These are marriage gifts my parents sent. I wanted to look over them with you, if you don't mind.'

'I have nothing to do at the moment. I'm curious what is in there,' she said waking up.

'Same as me here,' he said and stood up. He stretched his hand and she took it. He helped her down the steps and towards the gifts.

'Open them up,' he instructed the guards, the guards opened them all and it was time for the maids to show them what was in each box.

Valery smiled as she looked at the gifts that ungrateful woman had sent for her. Did she think that she was so foolish and stupid? There were a lot of jewelry, good quality too she really admired them; a couple of ceramic pots and vases, worth a lot of silver. Various silk finest silk brocades which she always use on her clothes. The Imperial Noble Consort really put a lot of effort but what she was looking for she had not seen it yet. She finally arrived at a box which had the finest cream and pearl powder. Why would she send her pearl powder? Her skin was always fine and she never had any need for it and yet that woman sent a lot of bottles for her to use. She took one bottle and opened it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could smell it, that woman put arsenic in her powder. Why was she so bent on killing her? She opened her eyes and coughed. The second she coughed she dropped the bottle of the powder.

Xavier pulled her away from the shattered pieces which were now on the floor.

'Are you okay?' he asked his voice full of worry.

'I'm okay, I thinking I'm catching a cold,' she lied not wanting to tell the truth.

'Bring her a cloak,' he called out and the maids rushed.

'This is all lovely,' she said looking at three more bottles of the powder.

Valery opened the remaining bottles and found out that two bottles had been poisoned while the other two were normal.

She scratched the poisonous bottle and left them there. After going through everything she turned and looked at Xavier.

'You should write back to your parents and tell them that I'm very grateful for the gifts. I will use them all wisely,' she said.

'I'm happy to hear that. I will write to them once everything is done her,' he told her.

'I'm suddenly craving some pearl powder balls. Can you send one of the bottles to the kitchen and let them prepare it?'

'Sure, I will do that,' Xavier said and picked up the bottle she had scratched but she stopped him.

'I want to keep this bottle. I love the whiteness of the powder. Take the other bottle,' she instructed him and he took the other one.

'I will come back for you once it's all done,' he told her and left the hall.

Once he was out she called for Nora who rushed to the hall.

'You called for me!'

'Yes I did. I need you to get rid of the powder that is on the floor and this bottle too,' she told Nora who looked at her with confusion.

'But it's nice quality and they are gifts,' she said.

'I know but they are poisoned. I wouldn't want anyone dying from using them,' she told Nora and saw her shocked look.

'You need to tell him,' Nora said sounding worried and anxious.

'How can I tell him that his mother is a cold blooded animal and worse than me? Let's leave it like this; she will act up again once she discovers that it didn't work. Secretly test everything for any poison. I doubt that's the only thing she poisoned,' she said.

'I will do that right away.'

'Nora, please be careful.'

'I will, my lady.'

Valery promised herself to get back at that ungrateful woman she saved and gave a new life but for the sake of Xavier she was going to try and forgive her. If she tries another attack on her again then she would forgo everything even if meant disrupting her own happiness.

She clutched her heart and returned back to her seat. It was acting up again and this time it was worse. For this love she was willing to bear every wrenching pain if it meant to be with him. Why would someone try to kill her just to deprive her of this happiness? Would they be happy if she drop dead and remain unhappy? Soon or later she was really going to show everyone what she was really made up. All these years she tried to fight her inner demons, suppressed her real powers and yet someone still provokes her each time. She didn't want that person to be someone she has respect for. If there were invaders then she will gladly show them what they were up to. She was going to wait, wed her man and if it meant bursting up after the ceremony then she will do it. Right now she was going to start meditating and hope it won't be like the last time she got angry, suppressed the anger and fainted, causing her to sleep for two months.

She wanted to be happy, see his face every day and live on the mountain. It was time for her to find someone and groom her for the position of a mistress. Nora was a good candidate but she wanted her to not bear the burdens she carries on a daily basis. She was going to find a child, groom her and train her and make her be able to bear the heavy weight that will come with being the mistress of the Lotus palace.

'Summon Nora here!' she called out to one of the maids.

The maid left and she took a cup of tea and drank trying to ease the pain she was feeling at the moment. It took some time for Nora to come, she was busy after all.

'I'm still not yet done with the task you handed me,' she said.

Valery looked at her faithful Nora and smiled.

'I didn't call you here for that. I want to have a walk with you,' she said standing up.

'Sure, let me help you,' Nora said coming up to her.

Valery left the main hall with Nora hand in hand without saying a word.

'What's troubling you?' Nora suddenly asked when they were standing facing a waterfall in the mountain.

'Have you ever regretted being with me?' she asked Nora.

'No, I haven't. I am happy and grateful that you took me in,' Nora told her.

'Will you be sad if I tell you that if I have to step down one day as the palace mistress I won't choose you?' she asked Nora looking in her eyes.

Nora didn't reply for a while, she seemed to be looking for the appropriate answer.

'I would like to ask why I'm not a suitable candidate?' she asked and Valery knew that she was really curious and anxious at the same time.

'When I first saw you I was happy that I wanted you to become the best and I happened to achieve that. I'm very proud of the woman you became today Nora but at the same time consider me like your mother. As my child, I don't want you to live the kind of life I led. There is a lot of burden being the mistress of this palace. There are things you can never comprehend. Just take it as a mother who is looking after her daughter. I know how you feel for Daren. With him you can have a life full of happiness but here there is always danger. For me I don't have a choice, I was born and raised here. I will never leave this place and I will always be here even when seasons change which makes me so scared. One day you will all leave me but all I want from you is to live happily. I just hope you can understand e,' Valery told Nora.

Nora looked at her with tears falling down her cheeks. Valery hugged her closely, she rarely see Nora crying. She must have really hurt her this time.

'I'm sorry but please forgive me and bear with me just this once,' Valery pleaded which she rarely do.

Nora broke away from her and wiped away her tears.

'I'm not crying because you won't make me your successor. I'm crying because I'm happy. It's the first time you referred me as your daughter. I'm really happy to hear that. I thought in this life time I will never have a chance to hear someone else calling me her daughter but you did. I don't want to become your successor. All I want is just to be by your side every day. Wherever you go, I will be with you. As long I'm with you I don't care what will happen to me. Can you at least promise me that?'

Valery was deeply touched by her words. Nora always kept so much inside her the way she did. She had taught this little child such bad manners and she regretted it. She wiped Nora's tears again and embraced her close.

'I promise you that I won't abandon you. Wherever I am so will you be,' Valery made a promise to Nora.

'Thank you very much. So who do you want to make your successor?' she finally asked.

'I haven't found the person yet. I am thinking of leaving the mountain tomorrow, let's looks around the two cities I might find someone,' Valery finally spoke her mind.

'That's a good idea. I will prepare for the journey then. How long will it take?'

'At least three days,' Valery replied.

'Okay, then I better go and make sure the gifts are not poisonous. You wouldn't mind staying here alone?'

'No, go and finish what you were doing. If you see Xavier just tell him that I'm here,' Valery said.

'I will do that. I will take my leave,' Nora said and left her standing looking at the waterfall.

All she wanted ever since she was young was to be free, to flow down just like the waterfall. Was it too hard for her to ask? With the trip she had just planned, she will use that time to try and forget about this conspiracy to kill her. She didn't want to commit treason at all and yet they were planning on doing this to her. She didn't want to recall what her mother wrote to her in the letter she left before she died. She didn't want to believe that it can be true. She wanted to prove her mother wrong and grasp her own happiness.

'You are here,' Xavier said from behind her and she turned to look at him pasting a smile on her face.

'You found me?'

'I can always find you anywhere, my love. I brought you your snacks,' he said holding the tray which had a bowl of the pearl balls.

'Let's go and sit over other,' she said pointing at the pavilion close by.'

'Sure, let's go there,' he said and began to walk towards the pavilion.

She sat comfortably after arriving at the pavilion and Xavier set the tray in front of her. She took a spoonful and ate it. It wasn't a good thing to have so many balls of these powders. They were very sour but they were good for the immune system. She finished them quickly; she wanted Xavier to see that she has good intentions. She ate what his mother had sent even when he had no idea what she was plotting behind him.

'I'm sorry that I couldn't leave anything for you,' she said as she put the bowl down.

'It's okay; it's good for your body. I will have some next time,' he said looking at her.

'I will write a letter to your mother and thank her personally for the gifts. It's been too long since I wrote one,' she said.

'She will be happy. She thinks very highly of you. She told me about everything you did for her,' Xavier told her happily. If only he knew how crazy his mother was then he wouldn't be saying what he was at the moment.

'I still remember when she was just a songstress here. She had the most beautiful voice and my mother thought highly of her too. When she died I thought being here would be bad and she has a liking for your father after seeing him one day. So she agreed to be sent to the palace and maintain peace between the royal family and our mountain. She sacrificed a lot. I'm happy for her. She pursued her happiness and now she is a highly respected woman. She is very lucky,' Valery said.

'She is lucky because she had you and your mother to rely on. I'm still grateful that because of her I met you and now I will be marrying the most beautiful woman in the universe,' he said holding her hand in his.

'I'm grateful too that I got to meet you and now I will be marrying you,' she said laying her head on his shoulder.

Xavier could still feel it that something was off. It's been days since she started showing off those vibes but the moment the gifts arrived she became worse. When she dropped the pearl powder bottle he knew that something was definitely there and the second she stopped him from taking that other bottle he guessed. His mother was up to something and he just hoped she wasn't aiming on hurting Valery. He would die for her and anyone who would try to harm her would face his wrath.

He knew how ambitious his mother was even when he was young. The look on his mother's face when she saw him was mysterious. He wanted to give her the benefit of a doubt but now he was sure his mother was playing with fire.

He had tested the powder before making the cooks prepare the snacks and they weren't poisoned at all. He was going to make sure that nothing harms her. Even if it was his own parents, he would surely wage a war against him when it comes to Valery. He gave her a peck on her forehead and he saw her putting on one of her smiles. It was this kind of smile that made his life goes on. He wrapped his arm around her.

'I will be leaving the mountain tomorrow,' she told him and he was taken back.

'Is something wrong?'

'No, there is something I need to do. I will be back after three days,' she told him.

'Can I go with you?'

'No, you prepare for our wedding. You promised me that you will give me the best wedding ever. You have to keep that promise no matter what. When I am done I will come back to you,' she told him and he felt very worried.

'Are you sure about that?' he asked her.

'I am, so have a walk with me,' she said sitting straight.

'I would love that,' he said and stood up. He pulled her gently up until she stood on her two feet.

He held her hand as the two of them began to walk around the mountain.

He had been living in the mountain for long and yet there were places he had never seen before. They followed a narrow path which led them to a cave. He looked at her and she smiled at him.

'What's this place?' he asked.

'Come inside and I will show you,' she said as she led him inside the cave.

The cave was so dark he couldn't see a thing. She flicked her fingers and all of a sudden the lamps were all lighted. The lamps brightened the whole cave and he followed her from behind as she led the way. He never knew that such a place would exist. He followed her until they came to a sudden wall.

'Did we just hit a dead end?' he asked as he noticed that there was no longer any path for them to follow.

'No, watch this,' she said.

He watched as Valery cut her hand and he felt so much pain watching her like that. She used her bloody hand to touch the wall and he felt the whole cave shook. He moved closer to her and she smiled at him. The wall began to move and he realized later that it was a hidden door. It opened so wide and the lamps lighted up. Valery walked inside and he did too.

He couldn't believe what he was looking at that moment. The place was filled with so much treasure even the royal treasury had nothing like that.

'Is this yours?' he asked her.

'It used to belong to my mother back then but she left it all for me. The mountain will never starve no matter what. Every year more silver and gold keeps accumulating and I put it here. One day it will come to good use. Because of the war I waged back then against your family, I depleted a lot of resources but over the course of two decades it's already like this again,' she said looking around.

To be honest, the cave was very full that if anyone was to raid the mountain one day and stumbled upon this treasure they will leave very rich.

'But why are you showing me this?' he asked being curious.

'You will be my husband soon and I don't want to be any secrets between the two of us,' she told him with an earnest look.

'I don't want it to be like that either. I promise to not keep anything between us,' he said taking her hand in his again.

'I'm glad to hear that,' she said even when he knew that she was keeping some from him.

'Even if it's too much please don't bear it alone,' he said.

'I won't. I will tell you and we will settle it together,' she said.

'It's getting late. Let's leave the cave and return back to the palace,' he said leading her out of the cave.

He didn't know how to ask her about the powder and what she was thinking about his mother. For now he was going to sit and watch what she was up to.