(3) Going Home

Back at the cottage, the Queen came to them with Hemuda and Xing'er at her side — the three of them were preparing to leave the Mist Forest and return to the Asura royal court.

"Elder Mu came by just now and told us the whole story from beginning to end. If not for Ziyuan, our two clans would never have had the chance to make peace. The King has already led the whole clan in a vow to become dharma-protectors of the Buddha, one of the Eight Legions of Heavenly Dragons, sworn to eternal friendship and non-aggression with the Celestial Clan. Now that the King has truly repented and turned himself around, it's time for me to go back to him."

　　The Queen stepped forward and took Anu's hand. "Now that Ziyuan has returned, you ought rightly to go with him. A bond like the one between husband and wife is not easily won — remember, from now on, not to be so willful. When the day comes that you return to the Celestial Court, mind its customs carefully, and listen more to what Ziyuan tells you. Don't go flying off at every little thing the way you always have — you're too much like your father in that. You'll need to temper that temperament of yours."

　　Then the Queen placed Anu's hand back into Ziyuan's, and said to him, "She is my only daughter, and I am entrusting her to you now. I hope you will treat her well, for as long as you both shall live. But let me remind you of one thing — an Asura woman's jealousy is nothing less fierce than that principal consort of yours, what was her name, Shenya. Her father and I have no wish to see a situation like that repeat itself."

"Your son-in-law will keep Mother's teaching close to heart, and will never fail Anu." Ziyuan bowed with clasped hands.

　　The Queen nodded, satisfied, then turned back to Anu. "Once you're gone, only Xing'er will be left at the cottage — I asked her, and she's willing to come back with us to the Asura royal court. I've taken quite a liking to that girl; she's gentle and good-natured, and she gets along well with your fourth brother besides. Once we're home, I'll have your father arrange a marriage between the two of them. If you ever miss Xing'er, you can always come home to see her."

　　At this, Hemuda's face went wide with astonishment, while Xing'er lowered her head, her cheeks flushing crimson.

　　Once the Queen and the other two had departed, Xiaoyi returned from the deep forest as well. Elder Mu had come just before to summon him back to the Langhuan Immortal Abode on Kunlun Mountain; he had gone first to bid farewell to the little sprites and spirits, and to tell them that Anu, too, would soon be leaving with Ziyuan. His steps were heavy — in the end, he would never be the one at Anu's side. And yet, seeing the Crown Prince returned safely to her, seeing how Anu had come alive again, radiant and glowing, he found in himself a genuine, unclouded happiness for her.

　　So long as she was well, he could be at peace — for she was, after all, the girl he had truly, wholly loved.

"My master has called me back to the Langhuan Immortal Abode — my task here is done. I've come to take my leave of the two of you." Xiaoyi bowed low to Ziyuan and Anu.

"My master wants me at his side, to see more of the world's suffering and broaden my own heart. Your Highness has been an example to me in that. May you both take good care of each other — until we meet again."

　　Xiaoyi turned away, his eyes brimming with unshed tears, each step like the prick of a needle — just as it had been, once, when he left Anu behind to return to the deep forest and continue his cultivation. But back then, at least, he had still had hope to hold onto; now there was nothing left but despair. He could no longer even permit himself the foolish wish of staying by her side. The pain of wanting what one can never have, it seemed, cut deeper even than the pain of parting from love itself. He forced his back straight as he walked, and yet could not help the stoop that crept into it.

　　Ziyuan clasped his hands and bowed deeply, and did not straighten again until Xiaoyi's figure had vanished from sight entirely.

"Why did you bow so deeply to Xiaoyi?" Anu asked, puzzled. Xiaoyi was, of course, her grandfather's disciple, but Ziyuan was the Crown Prince of the Celestial Clan himself — that he should offer such a bow, given his own rank, left her thoroughly confused.

"To thank him — for the true, devoted care he gave you across all these hundreds of years." Ziyuan knew that any further words of gratitude, spoken aloud, would only wound Xiaoyi further; a silent bow was the only thanks he could offer.

　　Anu, only half understanding, gazed a little wistfully at the spot where Xiaoyi's figure had disappeared.

"It isn't as though you'll never see him again — don't be sad. Mingshan Hollow is right there on Kunlun Mountain; visiting back and forth between our two homes will hardly be any distance at all." Ziyuan ruffled her hair gently to comfort her.

"Elder Mu will need to come to Mingshan Hollow often enough as it is, to look after my health and play chess with me." Ziyuan couldn't help a small laugh, thinking of the old mischief-maker.

"Is that so?" Anu laughed along with him at the thought.

"Don't tell me Grandfather got you hooked on chess back at Yan City?"

"Who's to say he didn't?"

　　Anu understood at once, and the two of them shared a smile.

　　After laughing together a while, Anu seemed to remember something, and pouted, murmuring, "Just now, you told Xu Cheng I was your consort — but I'm not, not really... I'm only a secondary consort..."

　　Ziyuan looked at her displeased expression and laughed softly. "When we return to the Celestial Court one day, the very first thing I'll do is have you named principal consort to the Crown Prince — how does that sound?"

　　Anu gave a sly little laugh. "Actually... as long as you don't go filling your harem with anyone else, I don't much mind whether I'm principal or secondary."

"But I mind." Ziyuan's smile faded, his expression turning serious.

"Whatever else happens, I won't have my beloved consort standing a rank below anyone else's — forced to swallow her pride and go about with her tail tucked between her legs."

　　At this, Anu balled her fist and thumped it against Ziyuan's chest.

"I'm not a dog — I don't have a tail..."

　　Watching her pout, cheeks puffed with indignation, Ziyuan found her utterly adorable, and pulled her into his arms at once. But Anu, not quite ready to let it go, poked at him with one finger and muttered, "I suppose you called Shenya your 'beloved consort' too, didn't you? Seems you've got no shortage of beloved consorts..."

　　Ziyuan felt a faint headache coming on — just as Elder Mu had warned, the "picking fights over nothing" had truly begun.

"You've earned the title honestly — this is the first time I've been able to call anyone my 'beloved consort' and mean every word of it. Does that answer satisfy my little beloved consort?" Ziyuan pressed a light kiss to her cheek; Anu shot him a sidelong glance, then, flustered, buried her face against his chest.

"You... when will you go back to the Celestial Court? Does Father know you're still alive?" Anu asked, her voice so small it was almost inaudible.

　　Seeing how reluctant she looked at the very thought of returning, Ziyuan found it rather amusing, and drew her closer still.

"Not for a while yet. Elder Mu says it will take another five hundred years at the least, eight hundred at the most, before my cultivation returns to what it once was — and it all depends on his mood, really, since once I go back to the Celestial Court, it won't be nearly so easy for him to find me for a game of chess whenever he pleases." As he spoke, Ziyuan found himself smiling without quite meaning to.

　　Anu laughed along with him, still held in his arms.

"Elder Mu and your father have agreed between themselves to keep this from Father for as long as they possibly can — they don't mean to let me return to the Celestial Court too soon. Even though our two clans have turned swords into silk and jade, your father still carries some anger in his heart. He says Father ought to taste the grief of losing a son for a good while longer, seeing as he's handed over his own precious daughter to become Father's daughter-in-law besides — he can't very well let Father off too easily." Thinking of these elders of his, Ziyuan laughed and shook his head, not quite sure what to say to any of it. Better, he decided, just to let them have their way.

"For these few hundred years in the mortal world, I can devote myself entirely to Anu — no Crown Prince of the Celestial Clan, no principal consort, just an ordinary husband and wife. As for the court and its affairs, let them wait a while. Father can manage the burden a little longer on his own. I was young once, but I was never reckless with it — perhaps it isn't such a bad thing, now, to make up for a little of that recklessness my younger years never had."

　　Hearing this, Anu felt her heart fill with quiet joy. She tilted her face up, giving him a playful, half-scolding look. "You'd better keep your word."

"Once, your greatest wish was simply to return openly, with dignity, to the Asura royal court and be reunited with your family. Now you can go back openly at last — and yet three of your brothers are gone, and no homecoming can be entirely whole without them. I cannot give your three brothers back to you. But I can give you a home. Now that the poison has cleared for today, and I have no need of the Poison-Warding Pill — shall we go back to Mingshan Hollow together?"

"Yes." Anu smiled, bright and radiant, her violet eyes reflecting Ziyuan, the Mist Forest, and the proud, brilliant sun of that day.

"From now on, wherever Ziyuan is — that is where Anu's home will be."

　　The snow had cleared today, the sky washed bright, sunlight falling warm and gentle. Whether it was the sun's own warmth or simply his beloved wife held close in his arms, Ziyuan felt the bone-deep, needling cold that had plagued him vanish all at once. He bent and pressed his lips to Anu's brow, to her eyes, and at last to her mouth...

　　Perhaps, at last, he too had weathered the clouds through to the moon's clear light.

　　After a long moment, a soft rustling sound came from behind them. Anu, catching it, pushed Ziyuan back at once, flushed with embarrassment, her cheeks burning. Ziyuan turned to look, and found the little sprites and spirits clustered there, whispering among themselves. Seeing the two of them so plainly caught out, the spirits themselves grew flustered in turn, and after some awkward jostling, finally pushed the tiger spirit forward to speak on their behalf. For all his broad, sturdy frame, he shrank back, forcing the words out only with great effort.

"We're sorry... we came past the pavilion without Anu's permission. But... if we didn't come... we couldn't say goodbye to Anu... we're sorry... we're sorry... for interrupting... the two of you."

　　The tiger spirit scratched his head, a sheepish grin spreading across his face, and the other spirits followed suit, each of them smiling with the same awkward unease.

　　Understanding why they had come, Ziyuan smiled and bowed deeply, hands clasped.

"Ziyuan thanks you all, here and now, for the care you have given Anu."

　　Startled that Ziyuan should offer them so deep a bow, the spirits scrambled to imitate him, bowing back in return.

　　Having paid his respects to the spirits, Ziyuan turned and held out his hand to Anu.

"Come. Let's go home."

　　Anu took his hand with a happy laugh, and turning her back to the little spirits, walked away waving over her shoulder.

"Thank you, all of you! I'll come back to visit whenever I can!"

　　It was, once more, a day when the snow had cleared and the sky shone bright. Within the Mist Forest, the plum blossoms had burst into bloom, their fragrance rich upon the air — and though this was a parting, it carried within it, all the same, the promise of new life.