Wolf King And His Fox Consort

Chu Yun kept a critical eye on Chu Hean, waiting for other tells, but none came. Chu Hean kept eating his porridge slowly, eyes lowered.

"What were you doing in Lieba Chun's tent, by the way?" Chu Yun asked, finally voicing the question itching at him ever since the first time he saw his brother darkening the Wise Prince's doorstep.

Chu Hean grimaced, looking sheepishly to the side, towards a cabinet filled with valuable trinkets. "He found me actually, he told me that he overheard one of my discussions with Ru Long and wanted to help."

Chu Yun took a hurried sip of his tea to hide his surprise. Lieba Chun was bold indeed. "And you accepted his advice?" 

He shrugged, still looking away from Chu Yun. "Just to get him to stop pestering me at first."

Somehow, Chu Yun doubts that's the whole story. "And if Ru Long caught you at it and got jealous all the better, right?"

Chu Hean said nothing, but the top of his ears took on a distinctively darker shade. "Is he still around?"

Slowly, Chu Hean nodded. "He's still in Haolin. He doesn't tell me his plans anymore. And I'm not sure now, if he was ever fully honest but..." 

He still believed him, and now was beginning to reconsider that. Chu Yun wanted desperately to ask him what Ru Long's plans were -- not only in Zui but in general -- but he also had an inkling that Chu Hean expected that of him. One wrong move could send him right back to his previous cold antagonism.

So instead, Chu Yun stretched his aching back, groaning loudly when something cracked. He rubbed his sore spine while Chu Hean watched his movements from across the table with open curiosity.

"I can't believe you're pregnant," he said.

"I can believe it just fine," Chu Yun said, patting his stomach. "My back hurts like hell and I want to piss every half hour. Impossible to mistake it for anything else."

Despite his best efforts, Chu Hean cracked a smile. "But how could it have happened?"

Chu Yun shrugged. "I don't know. I have my suspicions but at this time I don't think it matters anymore. I've decided not to care."

Chu Hean's gaze drifted from Chu Yun's abdomen up to his eyes. "You don't think your husband might have had something to do with it?"

That was the one thing Chu Yun was sure of. "That I know for sure. Xiao Zai would never do something like that."

Chu Hean didn't look entirely convinced, but he also didn't look like he was about to argue. "A pregnant alpha...The people of Zui must either find you a miracle or an abomination."

His words weren't cruel, but their bluntness still made Chu Yun hiss. "A bit of both." 

In the beginning Chu Yun was able to dismiss that kind of talk, but when he started showing it became harder to ignore the whispered conversations happening all around him. Along with all the others that went silent the moment he walked into the room. While he appreciated that Xiao Zai wanted to have him involved in court matters, he knew that his presence would upset the ministers.

Other alphas in particular found him unsightly. They looked at him and feared they too could end up pregnant.

In moments like those he understood Chu Hean's complaints better than ever. 

In those other alpha's eyes he didn't see only the fear of the unknown, the fear of pregnancy as a medical condition, but the fear of being indistinguishable from an omega -- of being lowered to their status.

"Is it dangerous?" Chu Hean asked, once again not meeting Chu Yun's eyes.

Chu Yun looked away from him too. He didn't want to look in his eyes while he lied. "No, not particularly. Just uncomfortable."

Chu Hean let out a huff of breath that could have been a sigh of relief as much as chuckle. "Good thing it will be over soon, then."

That was something else that didn't seem possible. He was almost six months along, in another three the baby would be born. Almost on the anniversary of his and Xiao Zai's wedding. A full year later and Chu Yun would be a parent.

It really was impossible for mortal minds to understand the will of the Heavens.

The physicians told him they could predict the child's sex by the shape of his stomach, but Chu Yun didn't want to know. 

He would know soon enough. A thought that thrilled him as much as it frightened him.

Something of that fear must have shown in his face because Chu Hean's expression shifted. "Are you worried?" Before Chu Yun could answer he added, "For yourself or the child?"

"Both, I suppose," Chu Yun replied, eager to change the subject even though it was his fault they had stumbled into it. "Has Lieba Chun told you anything about his plans for the games? He's being very secretive with me."

It was a very blatant segue, but Chu Hean played along. "He likes teasing it, but he hasn't told me anything in specific. Only that his horseback archery, his prowess with the mace, and singing voice are sure to charm me." He rolled his eyes at the mental image of Lieba Chun saying all those things, but Chu Yun didn't think he was imagining the hint of fondness in his words.

"He's a very charming man, isn't he? Good natured, humble." Chu Yun said, speaking honestly.

After a moment's pause Chu Hean nodded. "Yes...he grows on you." He smirked a little to himself. "Like mould or some other fungus."

Chu Yun took a sip of tea and looked at his brother over the rim of the cup. This was nice. They were being civil for once.

But that didn't mean that Chu Yun had forgotten all the grief Chu Hean had put him through. He still had a few scores to settle, and maybe, he could even kill two birds with one stone.

"Yes, well, I would hate losing him as an ally. An alliance between the Xiongnu and Zui would be ideal." He rapped his knuckles against the table with a sigh. "And since you won't marry him, I'm thinking of suggesting he marry Min Sezhui instead. She's still young, and I think life in the steppes would do her good."

He turned to Chu Hean with an agreeable smile. "What do you think?"