CHAPTER 52: 52. HUAN’S SECRET DESIRES

AT THE SAME TIME

EMPEROR LIANWEI POINT OF VIEW:

If there’s one thing I should have learned by now, it’s that Zenith never just visits. The moment he had settled himself in a chair, he steepled his fingers and gave the whole table a very dramatic, knowing look.

"Well." He began in that deep, ominous tone of his. "since I’m here, perhaps I should share a vision about young Huan’s future."

Suen’s mother perked up immediately, all polite interest. A Luen’s father leaned forward slightly, trying not to look eager. Mei Shen shot me a look that said if you let him do this, you’re cleaning up the fallout. Zenith closed his eyes, humming like he was pulling the vision from the heavens themselves. Then he opened them, glowing faintly gold just for extra effect.

"I see... years from now... a great warrior."Zenith said.

Suen’s parents smiled. A Luen’s parents straightened.

"’e stands on the battlefield, fierce and unyielding... not for glory... not for politics" Zenith’s gaze slid toward Huan, who was still feeding frosting to Bella and giggling like a fool. "...but because some fool dared to make his little sister cry."

Silence.

"Ah." Zenith continued, looking almost tearfully proud, "The rage of a protective brother... entire armies will retreat in fear."

Huan looked up from Bella, beaming.

"Yeah! Nobody makes Bella cry." He announced proudly, smearing frosting on his own tunic in the process.

A Luen’s parents exchanged a glance that clearly said, ...wait, what?. Suen’s mother coughed delicately.

"And... marriage prospects?"She asked.

Zeyrith’s grin turned downright devilish.

"Oh, he’ll marry someday... but not before terrifying half the continent because every suitor will have to pass the Bella test."He added.

"The... Bella test?" Suen’s father repeated warily.

"Yes." Zeyrith said with an exaggerated nod. "If they can survive her biting phase without tears, they may... may be considered."

Bella chose that moment to gleefully bite the fork. The noble parents all attempted polite laughter, but I could see the calculations in their eyes falling apart like badly stacked dominoes. Mei Shen buried her face in her hands. I pinched the bridge of my nose. Zeyrith just leaned back in his chair, smirking like a cat in the cream.

"Oh, this is going to be fun."He said.

The cake was gone, the frosting war had been narrowly avoided, mostly thanks to Henry physically intercepting Huan’s attempt to feed Bella with an entire handful of icing), and the noble families were still trying to recover from Zeyrith’s... ’vision politely.’

Suen and A Luen had wandered off toward the garden with Huan, though it was less a stroll and more Huan charging ahead while yelling something about showing them Bella’s favorite rock. Bella, naturally, was being carried like a royal treasure the whole way. I was about to stand and make the rounds when Zeyrith leaned toward me, that infuriating smirk still plastered on his face.

"You’re welcome." He said casually.

I narrowed my eyes.

"For what, exactly? Embarrassing me in front of two empires?"I asked.

He snorted.

"Please. I just saved your son from being turned into a political chess piece before he’s even lost his baby teeth."He said.

I frowned.

"By... making him look like an overprotective little brother obsessed with his baby sister?"I asked, confused.

Zeyrith grin widened.

"Exactly. Now, instead of pushing for an early engagement, they’ll all be thinking, ’ah, well, maybe we should wait until he grows out of that.’ Which, knowing Huan’s stubborn streak, will be... hmm... let’s say... twenty years?"He explained.

I stared at him, both irritated and reluctantly impressed.

"...You’re infuriating."I frowned.

"Genius is rarely appreciated in its time." He said smugly, stealing a slice of leftover cake without asking.

From across the courtyard, I heard Huan’s voice.

"LOOK! BELLA LIKES THIS STICK!"Huan shouted. followed by Suen and A Luen pretending to care while Bella tried to eat said stick.

Zeyrith raised his fork like a toast.

"There’s your future emperor. Fear him."He said.

The nobles had finally drifted away, each with their polite farewells and their barely concealed relief that Bella hadn’t bitten them too. The sun had sunk low, painting the courtyard in warm gold and long shadows. Huan was unusually quiet. I spotted him standing near the balustrade, hands gripping the edge, his gaze fixed somewhere far beyond the palace walls. Bella sat at his feet, happily chewing on the hem of his robe, but he didn’t seem to notice. Zeyrith , who had been lounging in a chair like he owned the place, followed my line of sight. His eyes narrowed slightly, then a slow smirk formed, not his usual ’I’m here to cause trouble’ smirk, but the knowing kind.

"Ah." He murmured to himself. "So that’s who he’s thinking about."

I turned my head sharply.

"Who?"I asked.

Zeyrith tilted his head, clearly enjoying the fact that he knew something I didn’t.

"I have... an idea. But you wouldn’t believe me if I told you."He said.

I shot him a warning look, the kind that had made grown men rethink their life choices, but he only chuckled under his breath. Mei Shen came to stand beside me, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. She’d noticed too, the way Huan’s little shoulders slumped just slightly, the distant look in his eyes.

We approached together, the crunch of gravel under our boots making him turn around slowly.

"Son." I said gently, crouching down so I could meet his eyes. "What’s on your mind?"

Huan hesitated, his small fingers fidgeting with Bella’s sleeve.

"I... was just thinking." He muttered.

"About what?" Mei Shen asked, her voice soft.

He looked down at Bella, then back out toward the horizon.

"...Someone."He said.

That word hung in the air between us like a fragile thread. Mei Shen exchanged a glance with me, and for a moment we were both silently asking the same question: Who? Zeyrith quiet chuckle drifted over from behind us.

"You’ll find out soon enough." He said, in that cryptic, irritatingly smug way of his. "The story’s only just getting interesting."

Huan blinked up at us innocently, as if nothing at all was unusual.

"Can Bella and I go play in the garden again tomorrow?"Huan asked.

Mei Shen smiled faintly.

"We’ll see."She said.

But even as we walked back inside, I couldn’t shake the feeling that whatevee or whoever was on Huan’s mind wasn’t just a passing thought. And judging by Zeyrith expression... it was someone important. I kept watching him. Huan wasn’t sad exactly... just quiet. That rare kind of quiet where his mind was somewhere far away, chasing a thought he didn’t quite know how to explain yet. He sat on the floor in our chambers later, absently helping Bella stack wooden blocks. Every so often, he’d pause mid reach, stare off for a second, then blink and go back to playing. Mei Shen noticed too. She passed me a cup of tea and mouthed, What’s going on with him? I shook my head slightly.

"Not sure." I murmured back. "But it’s... important to him. You can see it"

Zeyrith , of course, had stationed himself on the couch like he was observing rare wildlife.

"He’s thinking about someone." He said casually, not even looking away from the scene. "Not that he’d say it. Not yet."

"Do you know who?" Mei Shen asked.

His lips curved faintly.

"I could guess. But where’s the entertainment in spoiling it?"He asked.

I gave him my best unimpressed glare, but his expression stayed infuriatingly calm. Huan, blissfully unaware of our silent debate, finished his tower and grinned at Bella as she knocked it over. Then, in that matter of fact tone children use when dropping something enormous into a conversation, he said,

"I think I’ll see them again someday."He muttered.

Mei Shen leaned forward slightly.

"Who, sweetheart?"She asked.

He shrugged, as if it wasn’t a big deal.

"Someone."Huan said and smiled.

That was it. Just someone. But the way he said it, like it was certain, like the thought had been tucked away in the safest corner of his heart, made me think Zenith might be right. Whoever it was, they mattered to my son. And I had a feeling they’d matter to us too... sooner than we were ready for We didn’t get a chance to press Huan further. A knock at the door broke the moment, and one of the younger palace servants stepped in, bowing low.

"Forgive the intrusion, Your Majesty, but... this just arrived for young master Huan."Servant said.

In his hands was a medium sized box, wrapped in deep blue silk and tied with a silver cord. The moment Huan saw it, his face lit up like the palace lanterns on festival night.

"It’s for me?!" He gasped, scrambling to his feet.

"Yes, young master." The servant said, still bowing.

Huan didn’t even wait, he ran over, took the box in both arms like it was a newborn puppy, and hugged it so tightly I thought the silk might tear. He beamed, bouncing on the spot.

"I knew they wouldn’t forget!" He announced, almost to himself.

Henry, standing in the corner, raised an eyebrow.

"I’ve never seen him that happy about a gift before." He murmured, watching as Huan spun around, still clutching the box.

It was true, for all the presents piled up from the birthday celebration, none had gotten more than a polite ’thanks’ before he moved on. But this one? He hadn’t even opened it yet, and it had his entire attention.

Mei Shen crouched down beside him.

"Sweetheart... who’s it from?"Mei asked.

Huan hesitated for the briefest moment, then grinned. "

"Someone important."He said.

Henry’s gaze flicked to mine, clearly wondering the same thing I was. Zeyrith just chuckled from the couch, looking far too smug for my liking.

"Oh, this is going to be interesting..."He grinned and I could tell this gift giver would change everything.