Wolf King And His Fox Consort

They couldn't stay in the hot springs forever. Eventually they got on with the business of washing themselves and getting ready for dinner. 

Reluctantly, Chu Yun got out from the warm, welcoming waters, and wrapped himself in a clean inner robe. Only after the bath had he realised how tired he was, how much his body ached from the days of travel, and the uncomfortable places they had slept in along the way.

Part of him wanted to put off telling his parents about the pregnancy, and instead enjoy a lavish meal of all his favourite foods and go straight to bed.

Apprehension coiled sourly on the pit of his stomach as he got dressed into fine outer robes in his old bedroom. While Zui was still mired in the depths of winter, even with the steady approach of the new year and the spring festival -- in Xin it had already come and gone. 

The weather was still cool, but it was a mild cold, that refreshed more than chilled. It was easy to ignore the difference in climates when they were up in the mountains of Harmonious Resonance academy, but down here near Lanzhou, the discrepancy was staggering. 

Chu Yun felt a little odd putting on such light robes, the layers billowy and thin, the only concession to the season was a slightly thicker outer robe, made of silk panes with an extra layer in between. 

He found the robes he used to wear ill-fitting. The colourful brocade and the vivid patterns seemed garish to him when he looked down at himself. He didn't recognise the person who looked at him from the gold mirror. 

Xiao Zai's deep red robes suited him a little better, but only marginally.

He came up behind Chu Yun and looked at their joined reflections in the mirror. Chu Yun had the disorienting impression of looking at strangers. His heart quickened inside his chest. He didn't know how to react to the feeling of being a stranger in his own home.

Xiao Zai placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him through their reflection. He didn't say anything, but his steadying touch and smile was enough to bring Chu Yun's breathing under control.

He was fine, he was still the same person. He wasn't irrevocably changed by his time in Zui.

"Ready?" Xiao Zai asked, oblivious to Chu Yun's inner turmoil.

Chu Yun slid his fingers over Xiao Zai's hand and met his eyes through the mirror. "Ready."

---

The Prince of Jing, when he arrived, was delighted to see his son. He embraced Chu Yun tightly, slapping him on the back effusively, and unlike his mother praised him for gaining weight and growing more muscular.

He was kind and courteous with Xiao Zai, and his smiles seemed genuine.

From what Xiao Zai remembered, the Prince of Jing was a soft-spoken man, who deferred to his wife. That hadn't changed in the months since, but there seemed to be a darkness to his gaze, as if he had aged years in mere months.

Xiao Zai thought it was related to how none of them mentioned Chu Hean, sidestepping the matter of his conspicuous absence entirely. The absence of the Prince's three concubines was noteworthy as well. Xiao Zai assumed that with Chu Hean's recent "rebelion" Madam Jing's control over the household had only strengthened.

"You haven't said much about what the two of you have gotten up to in Zui," Madam Jing said, pouring Chu Yun a coup of fragrant peach wine which he eyed warily. "Have you made friends? How's the neighbourhood around your estate? Do the omegas in Haolin care very much about fashions? The people of Zui always seem so stoic, I find it hard to believe..."

Xiao Zai didn't want Chu Yun to feel uncomfortable, and so took the cup from him and drank it. "I'll drink for Chu Yun, mother."

Madam Jing blinked up in surprise at him, but dismissed the matter soon and moved on to other topics. "I hear that there was a great scandal in Zui recently, but no one seems to agree on the details. Did someone in the First Prince's family really day?" Her eyes widened dramatically. "Surely it was only the storytellers in Lanzhou trying to draw in more clients with unfounded gossip."

Before either of them could reply, Madam Jing would move on to the next source of gossip in Lanzhou. She kept making small jabs at Zui, perhaps out of carelessness perhaps on purpose. Xiao Zai knew Chu Yun had to handle the same kind of ignorant comments about Xin from his own people, so he was determined to endure it with dignity for his sake.

Especially because he looked so obviously flustered and nervous. Xiao Zai had never seen him so apprehensive. He picked at the food distractedly, and replied to his parents comments with monosyllables. 

It was only a matter of time until one of them noticed.

"Is everything alright?" The Prince of Jing asked, peering into Chu Yun's eyes. "You look a little pale."

Chu Yun exchanged a look with Xiao Zai and cleared his throat loudly. "Actually, we have something to tell you."

Xiao Zai held his hand under the table, supporting him in this silent way, but letting him speak. 

His parents had no idea what he was getting at, and kept looking from the two of them in open confusion.

"What news dear?" Madam Jing asked, batting her long lashes like a startled owl.

"Uhm, I know this is confusing, and probably won't make any sense, but I'm pregnant."

Before anyone could say anything he rushed to add, "We don't know how it happened, but I'm pregnant. Four different physicians confirmed it. Two months along, next week."

No one said anything for a long time. And then the Prince of Jing got up from the table on unsteady legs. "I need to go lay down for a moment, excuse me." His face was as pale as if he'd seen a ghost.

Chu Yun turned towards his mother, panic rising in his voice. "Mama? Say something."

His mother turned to face him slowly, as if the gears of in neck had rusted over, and then burst into tears.