THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN LOTUS (COMPLETE)

CHAPTER 6

ONE MONTH LATER

Everything was still a shock to him. He still had not told anyone what exactly happened back then in the inn the night of the fire. The Saintess left him with his family, it had been her plan all along and yet he had no idea. He just thought he would avenge what happened to him and then he would go back with her but that wasn't the case. The Empress was deposed to the cold palace and since she was the crown prince's mother the Emperor was lenient with her and didn't punish the crown prince.

The Prime Minister was sent to exile and all of his wealth was taken by the government. Many officials were removed from their posts and new blood was brought in. His mother was promoted to become the Imperial Noble Consort and she was now the head of the harem. His mother was now very powerful for a woman who didn't have a lot of officials to rely on when she came.

Ever since he came into the palace he tried getting to know his mother, father and siblings better but he just could connect with them at all. They all felt like strangers especially his mother. Something felt wrong about her but he just didn't know what. Maybe he spent a lot of time with Valery and he missed her like crazy but he was going crazy being here.

He had his title returned to him and he was granted the title of the grand prince and he was given a manor of his own. He didn't want to rule so he didn't attend the court officials.

'Your highness, you are wanted at the palace,' his personal attendant said.

What would his father want with him now? He had been asking him weird questions concerning the Saintess and he avoided answering them most of the time and when he answered them, he lied a lot. He wasn't going to let anyone use him to get to her. He was going to protect her with his own life, if needed be.

He left his manor in a carriage and headed for the palace. When he arrived, his father and mother were both waiting for him. He greeted them both before he took a seat.

'I'm glad that you came,' his mother said.

'What was so urgent?' he asked them.

'Your father and I have found a perfect match for you,' his mother said.

'What do you mean by that?' he asked her.

'The youngest daughter of the Minister of Finance is a nice girl and we know that you will like her too. We want you to marry her,' his father said and he laughed.

'What's funny?' his mother asked.

'I thought after all these years you would have changed but you are still the same. Have you ever considered my feelings?' he asked, seeing how selfish those two were still are.

'Mika!' his mother yelled at him.

'I have been quiet for so long and it seems none of you cares. You believed an impostor and thought that I was dead. You lived your life as if nothing happened and now you want me to pretend as if everything is okay. Nothing is okay. If you have cared for me even once, you would have asked me. After living my life this way you want to trap me in a marriage with some girl I don't even know and one I will never love. How could you be so heartless?' he asked fuming with s much anger, he didn't care that he was raising his voice to the most powerful people in the empire.

'Love can grow with time son. Give her a chance,' his mother said, pleading with him but he wasn't going to fall for that.

'Not for me mother. I have someone in my heart. I will love her and her alone. I would rather be dead than for me to be another pawn in your political agenda,' he said and left the hall.

'Mika!' his mother called him and he stopped.

'I'm no longer Mika mother, I am Xavier and I won't be staying in the capital anymore. It's good that you know that I am alive but I will go back to the Lotus palace. That is my home now. This place that is full of schemes and tricks is a place that I wouldn't want to be. You can live here and protect the nation from harm; I will live a carefree life I have always wanted to live ever since I was young. The life of being afraid all the time is not a life I want,' he told her.

'You can't possibly love her son. She has no heart and you will be the only one to get hurt,' his mother said.

'I know exactly what she is. She watched me day and night to nurse my wounds. She taught me everything I know now. When I did wrong she punished me and I hated her for that but I know she did it for my own good. Because of her I became strong, so strong that I came to the city and looked deep into the eyes of the people that wanted me dead. I won't leave her and I hope you won't stop me either. I would rather die than marry a stranger and live in a city that is full of sad memories,' he said and he meant every word of everything he said.

'Am I am sad memory too?' she asked him tears streaming down her cheeks.

'You aren't mother but every time I see you, I get reminded of everything of the past again. Please give me time, I will visit you. I promise,' he said and left the hall.

Because of greed the deposed empress tried to kill him and now that his mother held that position so many terrible things would happen again. He didn't have much strength to go through it again, even when it means abandoning his family.

He took his carriage back to his manor. He couldn't wait to leave all this behind and go to where his home was.

'Pack my belongings, I am leaving,' he told the maids.

'But...'

'Who do you serve?' he asked them.

'The....'

He always suspected that all these people in his manor were there to spy on him and now he knew. They were like guards stationed there to monitor every move he makes.

He took a pouch of money for the road and a fine horse. He wasn't going to take anything at all. He gets onto his horse and rode as fast as he could.

He was going to the woman he loves, the woman who did something extraordinary in order to save everyone's lives, and the woman who had captured his heart ever since he set his eyes on her.

As he rode his horse he began to recall exactly what happened that day after they left the palace. 

They were having noodles at the food stall when the Saintess discovered that they were being followed. They returned back to the inn where she told the maids and the guards to evacuate one by one and stay somewhere safe and close. They all left wearing usual clothes which made people not to recognize them. So by the time the assassins arrived it was just the two of them. The assassins were so eager to kill them that they locked the doors without even checking the people inside. They burnt the whole in down. He was scared and yet the Saintess was just seated there as if everything was normal. He wanted to leave but if he did so then those assassins waiting for them outside will surely finish them.

'I hope one day that you will only remember the good things and not the bad. Love yourself more and trust less. You never know who might be plotting against you,' she said looking at him.

'What are you talking about? I will never let you die,' he asked.

'I will never die, don't worry. I was just twenty years old when I learnt the truth about myself. I was cursed from birth, curse to watch everyone that I love die and to live the rest of my long life alone. I can't do anything to that gold lotus; it is my life and my legend. I will protect you and never let you die. I will avenge for you and I hope you won't have to kill anyone in the future,' she said and he didn't understand anything at all.

The fire had entered the room they were both in; the smoke was too much and he couldn't breathe anymore. She walked up to him and covered him with her gown.

'What are you doing?' he asked her as she pressed her lips against his.

She was kissing him in a situation so crazy like this. When she kissed him even when it was just light he felt something. It was as if something had been put into his body and yet he couldn't figure it out. The roof caught fire and began to fall on them. He just stared up and closed his eyes and the next thing he knew, they were in a golden ball. He didn't know what was happening for a moment, he was in a daze and everything was confusing. The golden lotus was protecting the both of them; it was like a mother hen protecting her chicks from an eagle. He watched as the inn burned down to the ground. He could see everyone but no one was seeing them. They were invisible to every other eye. The whole drama unfolded before his eyes. It was like he was in a dream and he was being shown exactly what was happening everywhere around the world.

He saw the people responsible for what had just happened and they weren't showing any remorse at all. The disciples were looking for them and yet they couldn't see them. He saw the true self of the woman he has always admired. She was beautiful, lonely and lovely at the same time. He never really understood why she did all the things she did in the past but now he knew why. Every day she saw people pretending to like her and she went along with it. She was really cursed and he wouldn't want her to live her life like that. He wanted to be with her in good or bad times. He just wanted her to know that someone was there for her always and will never leave her.

When the dust settled they appeared in front of the disciples and made their way to the palace where one of the guards had been captured. She was one of the Lotus palace's best assassins and she was good at disguising. She went into the palace to fish out the criminals and she did very well.

The criminals were brought to justice and everything was fine except for him. Every day was so long, he felt sharp pains piercing his heart. He missed her and he wanted to see her. He couldn't even tell anyone exactly what had happened during the night of the fire. This was meant to be kept between him and the Saintess. She was very powerful and by telling the whole nation that she would become a target for so many people. He wanted her safe and this time he would be the one to protect her with his life.

He only stopped to change his horse on the way and continued his journey. He smiled brightly as he arrived at the mountain's entrance.

'Young Lord!' the guards exclaimed as he appeared.

'Is the Saintess here?' he asked.

'Yes, she is in her hall,' they replied happily.

'Okay,' he said and rode inside. It felt so good to be back here. He met one of his former guards who took his horse to the stable. He went straight to the Gold hall where the Saintess resides in. When he arrived the maids showed their respect.

'Is she in?' he asked them and they nodded.

'Don't disturb us,' he said and entered inside.

It was still the same, nothing had changed much. He looked at the pond filled with the lotus plants as he walked the narrow aisle towards where Valery was lying on her bed. He walked as quietly as he could and sat on her bed. She turned around since she was sleeping and she just stared at him. He smiled at her and gathered all his courage and gave her a peck on her cheek.

'I'm back,' he said as he gazed in her eyes.

'I can see that,' she said as she woke up from the bed.

She really looked amazing even when she was just sleeping. He brushed his fingers through her hair, his gaze still on hers.

'Why are you here?' she asked him.

'Are you not happy to see me?' he answered her question with another.

'Answer me before I get angry,' she said.

'I came because I missed you. I couldn't stand being away from you anymore. I might have taken it for granted back then but after being away from you for a month I have learnt how much you mean to me,' he confessed.

'And what exactly is that?' she asked as if she doesn't know.

'Do I have to say it?' he asked her.

'If you can't say it then you might as well go back to your family,' she said and he took her hands in his.

'I love you Valery, I always did ever since you found me back then. Back then I might have not known about it but as I grew up I knew just how much you meant to me. I know that you must feel absurd with all this, I am very young and inexperienced but I promise you that I will be a better man to you. I will share your burdens with you and make you happy every day of your life,' he confessed to her.

He looked at her and saw tears blurring in her eyes. He wiped her tears away using his thumbs. He cupped her cheeks and slowly he lowered his face to hers and let his lips grazed hers in a soft kiss. He had never kissed anyone before besides her. He lived in a flower house and yet he never allowed any woman to touch her, it felt wrong that he couldn't do it.

'I am a very difficult person,' she said as their lips separated.

'I can live with that. I will do whatever you want me to do,' he said and he meant it.

'Then when will you be returning?' she asked him.

'I'm here to stay. My home is here with you. I will never leave you again,' he promised her.

He had never seen her being so fragile before, she laid her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her.

'If you go back on your promise then I will...'

'I know what you are going to say. If I ever hurt you then I will personally stand in front of you and let you hurt me in any way you want,' he said.

'I will skin you alive and dip you in the holy pond,' she said looking up at him and he smiled.

'If that will make you happy then I will even cut out my heart for you,' he said and gave her another peck on her forehead.

She smiled at him and he smiled at her too. He was really happy to be back home, home with her and he was going to stay with her for a very long time.

'How have you been?' he asked her.

'Not so good. I have been missing you too,' she said as he brushed her hair with his fingers.

'That's a great honor to have the great Saintess miss someone like me,' he said.

'You are a special kid Xavier, I guess I have always known it ever since I found you back then,' she said.

'Thank you for everything you have done for me. Because of you I got to see my parents again and learnt the truth about everything,' he said.

'I did what I have to do,' she said.

'But why would you leave me there? I wanted to come back with you,' he asked her.

'I needed you to have another shot with your family again. I never really had a good time with my parents and I thought it would be the best if you have the chance that I lost with mine,' she told him.

'I didn't know you were being considerate of me. Thank you for giving me a chance with that. Thanks to you I made a decision for myself and that's you. I want to be with you and I hope you will continue to let me stay with you,' he said.

'You will leave me with time and I will remain here alone,' she said as she sat by herself.

'I will not leave you even in death. If you are cursed then I will get myself cursed too. I will live for eternity with you,' he told her as he held her hands.

He knew that she was immortal considering everything that happened ever since he met her and before that. It wasn't normal for a mortal being to not age an inch and to have such incredible abilities and powers like Valery had.

'Something is wrong with you!' Valery suddenly said after looking at him.

'What do you mean?' he asked her not sure what was happening.

Valery stood up and he saw the gown she was wearing. He had designed that one some time ago.

'We have to go to the holy pond now,' she said as she put on her shoes.

He stood up and took a robe and put it on for her.

'I wouldn't want you to catch a cold by wearing less,' he said even though that wasn't what he was afraid of. He didn't want anyone seeing her in fewer clothes.

She smiled at him as if she knew exactly what was in his head.

'I know,' she said and began to walk out of the room. He followed her out of her room and together they walked out of the palace towards the holy pond.

The holy pond was the pond that had the golden lotus, Valery's legend. He wondered why they were going there. When they arrived Valery stretched out her hand and waved it at the lotus. The lotus bloomed and opened at that moment. He had never seen it that way before. The lotus had always been closed like a bud. She raised her hand and something came out of the flower which she directed to where they were both standing. She let the item he couldn't discern what it was land on her hand. She looked at it for a while before she turned to him.

'What is it?' he asked her.

She stretched out her hand and urged him to take it. When he took it he looked very closely and realized that it was a seed.

'Why are you giving me a seed?' he asked her.

'Take it in,' she said.

Because he trusted her he just swallowed the seed without even knowing why. She smiled at him after he swallowed it and he knew he just did the right thing. It didn't take long for the effects to kick in.

'What's happening to me?' he asked.

'You will be fine,' she said and he felt himself as light as a feather.

Valery lifted both of her hands and he felt himself being lifted up. He couldn't fight it and just looked at her as he got lifted into the holy pond. He landed inside the golden lotus. It was huge, as if it was home. As he was busy looking around, the lotus began to close up on him.

'Valery, wait. What is happening?'

'You will be fine after this, I promise you,' she said and he suddenly dosed off as the lotus finally closed in on him.