Chapter 73: Exchanging News
"Aiden what are you doing here?" Milan was shocked. She couldn't believe her eyes.
"I thought you would want to meet with me," he said.
"Yes I did," she whispered. "Don't alert them," she said pointing at Fariya and Aizen. The two were preparing to watch a series. Aizen made popcorn and carried osmanthus flavoured pepsi with him and settled down in the couch.
"Why did you want meet me?" Aiden whispered back.
"I almost came back home and ruined everything we planned. How come you are here? What about the Emperor?"
"That old bull fainted all of a sudden, everybody panicked and started to work to solve the issue, and I slipped to pay quick visit since it's been couple of days you have been here searching around," he said.
"The search is success," she declared.
"What?" He was shocked. "What?" He asked again. She eyed Fariya and asked him to look at her.
"She is?" Aiden asked her.
"The carrier, Aqua will reincarnate as a human this time," Milan informed him. "She almost died but entered an egg, but I can't still find out why these two,"
"Are you serious?" Aiden couldn't believe his ears. He kept asking her.
"Yes, a hundred time yes this is what is going to happen," Milan assured her. "Am watching over Fariya, staying invisible.
"You can't watch them all the time, that's like privacy violation, " he teased her feeling tio happy to have heard a positive news.
"I know when to and when I should not, don't come and teach me," she snapped at him and they both stood near the window, leaning back and watching Aizen and Fariya.
"When will she be born?" Aiden asked her.
"9 months maximum, it has been only a day or two now, For Fariya she will take around two or three months to know about her pregnancy, then the rest, they don't have no idea that they have conceived a child already after mating," Milan told Aiden. "Hurry back before they find you're missing," Milan warned him.
"Hmm yes I will, Tai wants to hold funeral for Aqua and shut down the power resource of her. We were shocked but mom took the lead, she asked to do Huo'er's along and for their unborn child. I have idea about what would happen tomorrow, " he expressed his worry.
"It won't happen, Huo'er can't have a funeral while he is living especially with the support of crystals, he will be doomed, Empress will find a way, you wait and see," Milan said everything together and it did sound true. Aiden bid farewell and travelled back to Water Realm and slipped into the hall at the guest palace where everyone had assembled to spend time with storytelling and dance for Emperor. He looked fine and back to normal.
He had so much to tell King Aenon. But he patiently waited for the day to end. After couple of hours, when the Emperor went to sleep, the water realm secretly began its preparation for a funeral to surprise Emperor Tai. They did not wish to be caught. Aenon waited for Rivera to come out of Empress' room.
"What took you so long?" Aenon asked his wife who looked pretty happy.
"Long story, " she said and walked forward with Aiden and Aenon to their usual meeting place behind Rivera's bed chamber.
The place had a great ambience. The lotus pond, the pool, the willow tree in a corner near the fence with view of the sea, and stone sculptures and chairs and table to sit down. A small bridge that connected the cliff and the palace, with ferocious sea under it. Aenon never let anyone walk this way afraid of the dangers the place hold.
Aiden took his usual place on the table and waited for Queen Rivera to open up. She was enjoying the breeze as she settled down while Aenon gazed at her, waiting.
"Ahem, " he cleared his throat.
"Water?" Rivera asked him.
"Am fine," Aenon said, clearing his throat again and looked at Aenon. Aiden wanted to laugh.
"Oh yes," the queen said. "Don't worry, Empress will handle the funeral herself, " she informed her husband.
"And?" He asked for more information.
"And what? She is pretty locked with us," she said. They waited for her to open. "She thought she could keep Huo'er's return as a secret but didn't expect that we were the first one to know about it even before she did,"
"Oh and?" Aenon asked.
"She didn't agree at first, then I stirred her past a little and connected it to our kids and had to say some hurtful stuff, and then she agreed, I warned her, and it only dawned then to her," she sighed. "She is still a fool, I can't believe she reigns over the heavens,"
"Don't underestimate her," Aenon warned her. "Don't fall in her traps,"
"I won't when she is in our court, her son too, I told her that being ungrateful runs in the family that I don't feel surprised anymore," Rivera told the men.
"Oh my god," Aiden said. "You didn't tell her did you?"
"I did, why would I hesitate, I did not tell your name, don't worry," Rivera consoled Aenon. "But I still don't understand why he would take that witch's side honestly,"
"He definitely was not acting, I can guarantee that ma," Aiden said. "He even dared to ask me who I am and why he would follow me,"
"We will find out," Aenon said. "Ok leave that. Come back to the point, what else did she say?"
"Oh yes," Rivera said. "About the Emperor. " Everyone looked at her seriously. "He is sick,"
Aenon felt doubtful. "How?"
"The Empress Lihua did it," Rivera informed them.
"How?" Aiden asked this time.
"Remember about the rumours?" Rivera tired to remind them.
"About which? There are lots connected with him?" Aiden asked his aunt.
"The one with how he is the fake Phoenix and he uses the powers of Empress to control his core?" Rivera told them.
"So it is true after all," Aenon said thinking deep.
"Yes apparently it is," Rivera said. "Lihua fed him with her usual cold elixir that would remove his heat covering the core, he will catch cold and lie sick for few days. She fed him that by serving the chilled plum wine, apparently he drank the whole barrel and she made up the story chilled wines removed heat from the fire core.
"And the old man believed it?" Aiden asked shocked.
"He seemed to believed it," Rivera told the men.
"What a foolish Emperor is he? How can he lack basic common sense. Chilled plum wines of Water Realm contributes 0.0001 % to your energy. "Pa what is this?" He asked the king.
"You there," Aenon spoke to Aiden. "You better start controlling your temper and hold your tongue. Who ever it maybe or whatever it is, he is still the Emperor, as one of the youngest generations you must remember to use honorifics and respect the elders. I see often how you lose it, next time you do, I will have a detention for you, we have a great dignity to keep," he warned Aiden strictly.
" Pardon me your highness," he said standing up and bowed.
"Don't forget how you have to be quiet, Kind and do smooth talk in front of the Celestial people, Killing Aaron has not been forgotten by a single soul here, it is always a danger on top on your head,"
"I know, I will remember that," Aiden said and remained quiet. "But there is something else I would like to report, " he said in a serious tone. Everyone looked at him.
"Say it fast," Rivera said. "I have to go,"
"Aqua will reincarnate, " he let it out.
"What?" Queen Rivera was shocked. Aenon calmed her and calmed his loud tensed heart.
"She has entered a human body, Milan found her, she is watching over now," he informed them.
"Oh my," Rivera broke into a sob suddenly.
"Who is it?" Aenon akse for the details of the humans.
"We haven't found that yet, we can't tell why, but we know that we saw her," Aiden said trusting Milan completely.
"We will leave once Tai leaves," Aenon gave them his word. And Aiden nodded. "When did you get the news?"
"I visited Milan for few minutes while Emperor Tai collapsed. She was waiting to tell us but afraid she might rule our plan she didn't send the message," he told them everything in detail.
Rivera got up and asked them to have dinner soon and left to her chamber to change. "Take rest, let's talk about everything later," she said and left. She wanted to spend some time alone.
Aenon walked to the guest palace again to check if everything was ok. The funeral preparation was almost done and in a very sloppy manner deliberately in many hidden Hopes.
The Empress was taking a walk outside and visiting the pond in the front with her personal maid. She had a jar of wine in her hands, drinking without limits.
"Can't sleep your higness?" He asked her.
"Hmm," she nodded. "Couldn't forget they days spent here and wanted to take a walk along the pond. I used come here and sit with Huo'er, he loved it here, he would stop crying instantly when I bring him here and show the gold fish," she started reminiscing about her past. It was painful but they were all true and can never be erased from the history.
"I will take my leave you higness, please enjoy your stroll, do not catch cold, it will soon be misty all around here," Aenon said and left. He had no wish to please a woman. He had something urgently to take care of and rushed back to his office. To his surprise there was somebody inside waiting for him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.