The Kingdom of Roses

5

In the Realms

Méiguī shān was dew-kissed and peaceful that night. The King and his Bride, eternal lovers that they were, walked hand-in-hand through its beautiful groves of various trees. Roses, cherry, apple, peach, and almond blossoms, grew wildly in shades from the softest pinks to the deepest wine-tones. Their private abode in the heights of the mountain was filled with rich fragrances and the music of waters. He drew her closer into himself, so that she was leaning upon his shoulder.

‘You ravish my heart with just one glance of your eyes,’ he gently whispered as he carried her off her feet. Her lustrous ringlets of hair twirled around him, imprisoning him playfully.

‘I wonder if I am light enough for anyone to carry,’ she mumbled.

‘I would never allow anyone to carry you off your feet the way I am carrying you now,’ he replied with a little frown.

‘You do not have to worry about that!’ she giggled, ‘I would not allow it either.’

They rested as always in each other’s embrace. In the heavens, rest was never to recover from exhaustion. It was a time to connect with oneself, with one another, and with all creation. The King and his beloved had seven energy points within them that merged when they became one, causing the gold of his fire and the blue of her flame to unite. Again, this never led to her bearing young. Though she was mother of all, she was barren in terms of human understanding.

As the ethereal morning filled the skies, the King and his beloved made their way through the realms to spend time with their creatures whom they saw as their own children. Chief among them were the Tiānshǐ, who were like sons to them.

In the six realms of the north, there were all kinds of creatures that filled the waters and the skies. Some looked gentle and some looked fierce, but none knew violence and none killed any other. Mostly, these creatures were known for their speed and grace. Their iridescent glow filled the waters and skies in which they moved, leaving a trail of sparkling dust along their path. They were innocent, pure and intelligent. In the night or darker places of their abode, their iridescence turned into soft glows of light. Further, they were known to carry the power of healing in them and it was the blue energy of the Bride that filled them. It was not easy to get one of them as a soul beast, but once such a bond was formed, they became extremely loyal and took on the characteristics of their bonded masters.

The largest of these flying creatures dwelt in the colder mountains of the northern realms. They were magnificent dragons, each having unique characteristics and scales.

The smallest of the flyers fluttered around the warmer spaces where there were plenty of colorful flowers. These little flyers were very different from the dragons. They flew and flapped their wings so swiftly that they produced a little hum, thus earning them the name of ‘little hummers.’ Their love for red blossoms caused them to seek out the flowers on Méiguī shān. They shone in the light like little jewels.

The Bride was walking through the mansions of the Tiānshǐ, enquiring after them, giving gifts, and admiring their handiworks. For this reason, she was also fondly known as ‘The Giver of Gifts’. Xióng Zhǎn had not yet left for Huǒrè de bǎolěi, but the rest of his brothers had taken their appointed positions. This day, he had stopped to lend his strength to another of his brothers among the Tiānshǐ. He smiled when he saw her making her way towards him.

‘Have you found use for the dagger I gifted you?’ she asked him, as she reciprocated with her own beautiful smile.

‘Yes! It is an excellent tool to prise out some of the fiery stones and help inlay them in our mansions and weapons,’ he replied.

Seeing that Xióng Zhǎn was trying to shape a particularly hard, fiery stone and his strength was working against precision, she frowned a little. Then she took from her treasures a little bottle of light and gave it to him. ‘Use this as a salve upon your dagger and see what it can do,’ she suggested.

Xióng Zhǎn obeyed and to his delight, the light became a precise, cutting-edge for the dagger and its brilliance sliced through the stone without the need to use much strength. He thanked her as she went forward to talk with the Tiānshǐ he was assisting. After he finished helping his brother, Xióng Zhǎn headed off to join Jiàn Shēng with the responsibility of guarding the fiery stones.

Jiàn Shēng looked very happy to see his brother approaching. ‘I thought I would be standing here alone today. It is so good to see you!’ he told Xióng Zhǎn. ‘What took you so long?’ he asked curiously.

‘I was helping Yàn Fēng. It would have taken me much longer if not for this little gift that helped me,’ Xióng Zhǎn explained as he showed Jiàn Shēng what the Bride had given him.

‘How did I miss this?’ Jiàn Shēng grumbled in a disappointed tone with a slight tinge of jealousy. ‘I must go find her and get something special too,’ he continued.

‘She was telling us that she is heading into the northern realms later. Maybe you can go there and see if you can find her?’ Xióng Zhǎn suggested.

A sudden thrill filled Jiàn Shēng as he smirked at his brother with a little mischievous twinkle in his eyes. ‘Great! I will come back in a while. You keep watch here,’ he said and with a swift move, he took flight. His resplendent, crystal wings left the sky glowing with radiance, and he was too far gone to hear Xióng Zhǎn’s grumble, ‘Hey! I thought you said you were glad to see me, and now you left me standing here alone! What a fine brother!’

Meanwhile, the King was busy walking through the pristine forest and mountains of the western realms. This is where the pack-dwelling, land creatures lived. Like the creatures of the northern realms, these were wild, but knew nothing of violence, death, or ferocity. They understood pacts and bonds, and valued honoring each member in the group. They were quick learners and eagerly sort out anyone they could befriend. These pure beings, along with the innocent ones in the eastern realms were created with the fiery, gold energy of the King and were known to bring joy to the dwellers of the realms. Further, any plant they touched would absorb their energy and grow more fruitful.

The King moved among them, talking with them and listening to their stories and questions. In all the twenty-four realms, the living creatures spoke and understood one another regardless of their kind. They could also communicate with their Makers and all the Tiānshǐ. This is how they learnt, grew, lived, and obeyed the order of the heavens. All the creatures of the western realms had gathered for an audience with the King and sometimes all they wanted of him was a little scratch or some petting.

The King gave them special gifts that would help them explore and find treasures in the other realms. The creatures of the western realms loved hunting for treasures to enhance their powers and individual strengths. Even the mere mention of a hunt was sufficient to get them excited. This time, the King raced with the lions as they loved games that included chasing. They ran over hills, and jumped over brooks of cool water. The prize for finishing the race was a very, special armor for every lion in the western realms. They were an honored lot due to their noble behavior and strength. In the past, a white lion and lioness were chosen as throne guardians on Dàshān and they still watched the realms from their privileged position as royals. Another lion had gained prowess and become part of the Bride’s sword along with an eagle of the northern realms.

After the race, the King lay down to rest, and the lions came up to him boldly and settled around him. Some even placed their chins upon his lap and slept soundly like children in the arms of their father. All the other forest and mountain creatures from smallest to greatest, likewise rested in perfect peace.

The Bride was happily making her way through the warmer parts of the northern realms. She submerged and became a part of the waters which she nourished with her spirit. Taking a crystalline form, she swam through the region and spoke with the water creatures. She told them stories for they loved tales and songs. Music was an important part of their realms. All kinds of water creatures thronged around her to hear her. At times, she would pause and blow a little kiss along one current of water and it would carry her love to the creatures along its path, causing them to gain a new color in which to glow and illuminate their world. She would smile and giggle with joy when she saw them light up. Of course, they were overjoyed in receiving these special tokens of her love, causing them to glitter more brightly and dance around as gracefully as the Bride herself.

After her journeying through the watery paths, she flew out of the waters and her watery, crystal form slowly took on light and radiance in her materialization. She then, flew about and joined the flyers in the sky, resting among the branches with them. From larger, fiercer-looking creatures, to songsters, these beings loved freedom. They too, loved being together in flocks and smaller groups exploring the vast realms of the heavens. They enjoyed eating the ripening fruits of plants and collecting honey from the flowers that bloomed in abundance everywhere. Food was not a necessity for any of the creatures. It was just a pleasurable act that activated one or two of their energy points.

As she lay on a sturdy branch that overlooked a little stream running through the region, a little, female hummer started to flutter in excitement around the Bride. This was the tiniest of all the hummers that dwelt in the heavens. However, she had the most numerous shades of colors that glittered from every feather of hers. Her tail was much longer than the rest of her body and her beak was straight, sharp, and long like a dagger.

The Bride smiled at her and stretched out her right hand for the bird to land. She then stroked her forehead gently. The hummer took flight again and in awhile it returned, carrying the smallest of red flowers in its beak. This time, the hummer perched on the Bride’s lustrous hair and gently pushed the gift of flowers in a curl over the right ear.

‘Oh! Thank you, little hummer! Why do you give me this gift?’ she asked.

The hummer replied, ‘It is because you are always giving gifts to others. It feels good to receive gifts as well. And I always stop at Méiguī shān to drink the nectar of the flowers that grow in your mountain. So, it is my gratitude to you.’ Then after a little pause the hummer added shyly, ‘My lady, would you please remember me when it is time to pick a soul beast? I want to stay by your side always and serve you. I know I am not as large or strong as the other beasts. I promise you this, I am little but I am fierce, and will get done whatever you entrust to me.’

The Bride smiled and planted a kiss upon the forehead of the little hummer and said, ‘Here, I have marked you now. Remember to show up when it is time. I know you are called Fēngniǎo, but I will give you a new name. I will call you Bèi Yǎn for you are as little as the smallest bud, but you give off a brilliant light like that of many gems shining in the sun.’ Bèi Yǎn was overjoyed, and rushed out to get another little bunch of red flowers, as many as she could hold in her little beak. And she placed it in the Bride’s hair once again as offerings of thanks.

From there, the Bride flew towards the colder parts of the northern realms where the dragons and larger, flying creatures dwelt. It was here that Jiàn Shēng had also made his way after searching other parts of the north. In his haste to find her, he flew straight into her, knocking her over. His wing simultaneously hit a dragon egg off the icy cliff where it was resting in a pool of gathering energy. He quickly reached out and grabbed the falling egg with his left hand while flying towards her. At once, he spread out all three pairs of his crystal wings, for in all the heavens, only the five brothers had three pairs of wings indicating their ranking over even the Tŏngzhì zhě. With these wings, he pulled her towards himself in an embrace. One pair shielded her head, one pair covered her upper body, and one pair covered her lower body. At that very moment, he felt a little ember of her flame enter his heart and set it on fire. On the outside, nothing had changed, but within, his heart started burning with forbidden love. For the first time, he understood that this was love and he wanted more of it regardless of whether it was right or wrong.

It was only a few moments, but for him time stood still untill she broke the silence and spoke. ‘Jiàn Shēng! What are you doing here? I can fly. Let go and we can head to that cliff over there from where the egg was knocked down,’ she said.

Coming back to his senses, he quickly let her go and his wings disappeared behind him. Both of them flew to the cliff and he gently laid the dragon egg down in its bed of energy.

‘Will it be okay?’ he asked with genuine worry.

‘Yes! It is Sān sè Lóng, a tri-colored dragon and it has been maturing in the cold draft of these mountains. It will be born soon and what a magnificent creature it will become! Of all the dragons, there is none that is its peer in intelligence or power,’ she replied. ‘Oh, why are you here in these parts?’ she asked again.

Jiàn Shēng awkwardly scratched the back of his head and replied, ‘Er… I was looking for you as you gave a gift to Xióng Zhǎn, but I was not around…’

The Bride giggled softly as she said aloud, ‘You came all this way for this purpose? You could have always met me in the southern realms another time and I would have given you a double portion for what you missed. Is there anything special that you seek?’

He thought for awhile and replied, ‘Yes, please forgive me if the request is too audacious. I know you give gifts that are of great use to each of us. There is no warrior like you in the realms and I love sword-fighting. Would you teach me how to fight like you do?’

‘The King fights as well as I. In all the realms, only we cannot defeat the other for we are equally matched. Even he can help you,’ she reminded him gently.

‘Yes, but I want to learn the water moves of your swordplay. The King’s moves are of fire and I will approach him to teach me once I have learnt from you,’ he reasoned with her.

In all her innocence and purity, the Bride agreed to meet him regularly to teach him her water moves and they decided that the northern realms were the perfect place to learn it due to its connection with her spirit.

‘I must return. The King will be waiting for me in the eastern realms,’ she said as she took to the sky, closely followed by Jiàn Shēng who made his way back home into the southern realms.

The King had already spent his time with the gentle beings that lived in herds throughout the plains, valleys, rolling hills and fields of the eastern parts. These creatures were also land beings made with the same fiery essence of the King as those in the west. They too loved to stay in their groups and being led by another. Once one of them took the lead of the herd, the rest would follow on the adventure. They shared in the powers and gifts of the creatures of the western realms. They also caused plants to grow and bear fruit on a single touch. By nature, they were curious and enjoyed lying down in green pastures, huddled together. They dwelt in security and did not know fear. Creatures of the western realms loved playing games of catch with these herd beings, while the latter enjoyed following pack leaders when on journeys together.

The Bride found her beloved resting in the pastures. This time, a magnificent, white stallion with the most lustrous, long, and wavy mane rested beside him. She made her way and lay down beside her King. The horse awakened and saw her and promptly stretched its neck so that its head rested in her lap. The King smiled and stroked the horse’s mane as he gently turned to embrace his beloved woman.

‘What have you been doing my love? Tell me everything…’ he whispered into her ear. She kissed him on his lip and started to entertain him with all her adventures in the northern and southern realms. She told him about her time with the Tiānshǐ, the creatures of the northern realms and also about Jiàn Shēng, and the dragon egg.

Then as she rested her head on his strong chest, he told her about his time in the eastern and western realms. Thus, the night was spent in companionship and peaceful sharing of lives.

Among the mansions of the Tiānshǐ, the five brothers were drinking wine together and talking about their own day and adventures. Xióng Zhǎn tapped Jiàn Shēng and asked him, ‘Did you find her and get your gift?’

Jiàn Shēng nodded his head, ‘Yes, I asked her to teach me her water moves in swordplay.’ Xióng Zhǎn looked awed and nodded his head in an exaggerated sign of approval, as they tapped their jade cups and drank the wine.