Empress Of The Lost Kingdom

The eerie passageway got dimly illuminated by the yellow flickering light from the lamp. 

Huo Jin held onto Bai Yu Yue who is enthusiastically leading the way,

The cold stone walls of the secret corridor echoed a rhythmic crashing sound of waves on a barrier.

"Is there a water body near this place?" Huo Jin asked,

"Not really. Once the winter is over, the glaciers in the Tu Mountain starts to melt and feeds all the rivers not only in the Yu kingdom but also in the mainland" Bai Yu Yue explained, 

"It is a wonder that a place like this exists in the Tu mountains. You got everything, it is literally heaven," Huo Jin didn't hide his amusement,

"No, we don't have everything. We are just happy with what we have here," Bai Yu Yue rephrased, "But I personally believe that it would be really nice to have a sea," she grinned with a childish delight,

"Well, we do have a sea in the south of the Guan kingdom, if you want, I can take you there," Huo Jin offered, "I hope you won't mind leaving the Tu mountains once in a while?"

"I've never left the vicinities of Tu mountains." She stopped for a moment," But I would love to visit the Guan kingdom someday,"

"Hmm, I see. You are fond of mountains. Even though it is not majestic as Tu mountains, we do have a mountain range in our kingdom, how about we rename it so that you can consider it as your home." He said half-jokingly,

"Yun mountains?" Bai Yu Yue asked to confirm, "The cloudy peaks where the Jin sect situates?" 

" Huh, you know about it earlier?"

"Of course, I know. I even heard that Yun mountains are the repository of minerals and metallic ores," Bai Yu Yue remembered the bits of information she heard while studying in the Tu sect.

The Jin sect, the school which is renowned for creating warriors in the South of the mainland. It was situated in the borders of Guan kingdom, right under the foot of Yun mountains. Just like how Tu mountains were filled with gemstones, the Yun mountain and the Guan kingdom was filled with minerals and metallic ores- propitiating the glorious kingdom with the title of the biggest producers and exporters of metals and minerals.

"Hmm, but nothing values more than Jade- the essence of the heaven and earth"

He said monotonously,

"Do you know what we value the most in Guan kingdom?" Huo Jin inquired,

"Iron and gold?" Bai Yu Yue answered after contemplating over. In the mainland, people have considered metals as the symbols of good fortune and wealth. 

"Water,"

Huo Jin gently smiled and continued, "We believe that the rivers are the liquid souls of the earth. The creator of life, "

Bai Yu Yue didn't expect such an answer from him.

"We have vast coastal areas, but there are only a few rivers in the kingdom,"

"So how do you manage? Your kingdom is so vast,"

"We believe that every drop of water is precious. So we developed various water conservation systems and implemented different methods to irrigate our land." He stated, " we can live without gold and iron but not without water."

"We also believe that rivers are the creators of life. There is a really popular legend about the rivers in the Yu kingdom." Bai Yu Yue started to reminisce, 

"If the Queen fails to protect the sacred land of the Yu clan, it will turn red with blood and the Dragon God will flood the rivers and wash it off." 

"Ahha, that's an interesting story." Huo Jin appeared elated, " I think your Dragon God is benevolent."

"Do you know what does it meaning?" Bai Yu Yue asked him,

Huo Jin pondered about the meaning behind the legend. 

"It will be the end of the Yu clan."

Bai Yu Yue sounded unflinching,

"We consider the Queen as the mother of the Yu clan. If she fails to protect her own home, then who else can protect it?"

"But none of the mainlanders are brave enough to attack the Yu Kingdom and bring the wrath of the Jade Emperor," Huo Jin brought up the common story circulated across the mainland.

"It has become an old story, senior brother." She said with a tinge of a disappointment.

"No one in the Yu clan is fond of violence. But due to the power disputes and bloodsheds in the mainland, we are forced to take the weapons." Bai Yu Yue explained,

"My father is an excellent craftsman. But once he came back after his studies in Tu sect, all he did was to make the weapons."

"He witnessed the greed for power and supremacy staining the people around us. Thirty years ago, he foresaw the political changes that are happening in the mainland today and began to train an army to protect the Yu kingdom from our so-called allies."

Huo Jin stared at Bai Yu Yue's slender silhouette which is faintly illuminated by the dim light,

A girl who is delicate as an autumn moon became a warrior and solemnly swore her servitude for the protection of the Yu clan.

In the battlefield of giants, without a powerful ally, the Jade land army's position will fall behind. If someone attacked the Yu kingdom the chances for the victory was uncertain.

"Wei emperor, what are you going to do about him?"

"I want to know about his true motives behind the proposal," She said,

"Do you believe that your peacemaking policies will work out?

Bai Yu Yue smiled."We believe in peace and harmony. But that doesn't mean that anyone can step on us. If we are pushed to our limits, we will not hesitate to forget the rules and fight for our lives."

Bai Yu Yue's voice had an extraordinary resolution.

"We are bound to this land. If someone tries to seize away our land from us, that will be the end for us as well as them" Her big black eyes flamed,

"All we need to do is "to remove a rock from this wall." Bai Yu Yue touched the walls. "No one will leave these boundaries, alive,"

"Aye, don't underestimate my junior, young miss." Huo Jin suddenly advocated,

"Your General is one of the top disciples of the two greatest sects in the mainland and the first-ever disciple of Guan Tae Yang. Believe her, she is going to do great things for the Yu clan."

Huo Jin said dotingly and held Bai Yu Yue's hand. "I will make sure to stand beside her and protect her with my life,"

Bai Yu Yue looked at the charming man beside her.

Why he is different from others?

Once Bai Yu Yue decided to leave the Tu mountains, every single member of Yu clan relied upon her. For all these years, everyone looked upon Bai Yu Yue as a protector, powerful and unbreakable.

She always stood up for others, but no one cared to ask about her vulnerable self or ever lent her a shoulder to rely upon,

But this man, he understands her true self.

He cherishes her as the most precious thing in the world and willing to protects her with his life. 

In the myriad of worries, Bai Yu Yue found her solace in him and she never wants to leave the hand which held her in tough times.

Having someone to rely upon was a great feeling.

After walking through the passage for a while, they have reached a place which looked like an exit.

Bai Yu Yue kept the lamp inside the passageway and led him towards the exit.

Bathed in midnight blue the opening at the end of the secret passage appeared magical. The rippling of the river has replaced the rhythmic sounds of the waves.

The moment Huo Jin stepped out, he felt like he was entered into a mystical world. 

Wow! He gaped at the marvellous scenery appeared in front of him,

The full moon brightly shined in the sky, the peaks of Tu mountains coloured in blue hues and at the end of the field, a lone plum tree stood in full blossom, The light Pink-coloured petals were fallen around it,

Bai Yu Yue looked at the astonished look on his face and linked her arms with his,

"Save some of your surprises,"

"There is more?" He asked her,

Bai Yu Yue smiled and led him towards the plum tree,

Huo Jin turned towards Bai Yu Yue who stood beside him,

"Did you like it?" She asked him.

"Yes, I like what I am seeing,"

She narrowed the space between them and tiptoed to place a kiss on lips,

"Don't you want your reward?" Bai Yu Yue asked in between the kisses. 

Huo Jin tore apart from her lips and looked at her big black eyes.

Bai Yu Yue took a step backwards from him and removed her woollen coat. 

Huo Jin looked at her mesmerized.

Bai Yu Yue was wearing a thin silky sleeping gown which delicately wrapped over her body. 

The moon, the blowing wind, and the flowers everything complimented the beauty before his eyes. 

Huo Jin felt like his throat is turning dry. He gulped and moved closer to her. 

"Yue, let's not do this," His voice appeared steely,

"I love you but I don't want you to reward your body."

"You don't like-" Bai Yu Yue was left confused, He always initiated physical intimacy between them and she thought him as a person who is interested in that. But what about now?

She was ready to give herself to him and Huo Jin straight away rejected her.

"I like it and I want it. But not like this," Huo Jin stopped for a moment and placed the coat over her shoulders, in the original position,

"I know that you are interested in me. But to take our relationship into the next level without any word, Bai Yu Yue, is that what you want?"

Bai Yu Yue sighed and closed her eyes,

"Do you know what is this place called?"

She asked him and replied herself after a moment,

"The valley of eternal love,"

"We believe that the couple who watch the full moon from this valley will be destined forever."

"Hmm," Huo Jin hummed,

"This is the only place in Yu kingdom which is restricted to the citizens, except those who share the Bai bloodline."

His eyes lit in surprise. Bai Yu Yue brought an outsider to a place which restricts the entry of other people in her clan.

"The women in the Bai tribe are considered as the direct descendants of the lunar maiden," Bai Yu Yue's mellow voice had a hue of respect and pride.

"Lunar maiden? But what we've heard in tales that the woman in Yu clan are considered as the embodiment of the mother nature." He asked in doubt,

"The Lunar maiden is the mortal form of the moon goddess who descended on the earth in order to save the man she loved.

But no matter how hard she tried the Lunar maiden couldn't find her lover. Without fulfilling her mission, she was unable to return to the celestial world. So mother nature adopted as one of her daughters. Since she was in her mortal form and she was prone to the dangers of the mortal life. She feared that the death of the mortal body will lead to the loss of the purpose of her arrival on the earth. In order to avoid that she decided to transfer the part of her soul into the girl child born from her blood."

Over the years, it has become a ritual for us. Once the maidens in Bai tribe recognizes their better half, they visit this valley of eternal love and promises to the moon goddess that she will part her soul and give it to the girl child born from her.

The plum tree was always it stood here as a symbol of preservence and hope that one day, the lunar maiden could fulfil her purpose of creation." Bai Yu Yue concluded and stared at the man who stood beside her,

"So you have decided?" Huo Jin asked with a bright smile and cupped her face.

"Yes, I have decided to be with you forever."

"I love you." He kissed her red lips and closed her in his embrace. 

In the sky, a full moon has risen, showering the entire place with its milky light. The cold wind has blown in the valley made the plum flowers fall on them as a blessing from the moon goddess, 

"In Guan kingdom, we believe in the duality of nature. We say that everything in this universe has two different entities which perfectly coexist to create a harmonious world." 

The day and night, the good and bad, the light and dark, man and woman- even they are different, together they create the equilibrium of the universe.

Bai Yu Yue gazed at Huo Jin, carefully listening to every single word leaving his mouth

"So I Guan Tae Yang of Guan Kingdom, ask the precious Bai Yu Yue of Jade Land to be my only moon for the rest of the life, forever." 

He took a wooden box from his robes and opened.

It was a golden chain adorned by sun and moon-shaped pendant.

"Will you be the Yin to my Yang?"

There was only a breath apart distance between them. 

Bai Yu Yue leaned closer and clung into his collars.

"Hmm, I willing to take this the glorious sun to shine upon the rest of my life," 

Bai Yu Yue smiled and kissed him.

Huo Jin took the chain and put it her slender neck. 

"My precious moon, take responsibility of me,"