#003 Chapter II

I wake up with a start, it's still dark and I can see some streaks of moonlight. I get up thinking I'm late to something but I can't remember what it is I'm late to. I slowly remember the only things I can remember.

'I've lost my memory, the people around me think it's temporary but I think it's hopeless, and there is the matter of my upcoming marriage. Everything is new to me. Very new and unfamiliar.' I speculate to myself. I feel the soft material my clothes are made out of and appreciate the smooth white fabric before I open the curtain that surrounds my bed. I peer around in my moonlit room, no one is around, and decide I should go outside and maybe I can remember something.

Quietly as possible I go outside and roam around in the massive garden for a few minutes before entering a small stone hedge maze. Without realizing I've entered a maze I walk aimlessly around until I feel cold and shivers run down my spine. In the maze someone is lurking I notice them and quickly turn to leave.

A wall of stone seems to appear from nothing and the person I saw waiting is now behind me. They grab me then I punch them near the heart and then as though magic an opening appears in the rock wall. I stumble out confused and scared, who in the world is in the garden at this hour, being so sneaky and attacking me?

I rush back to my room not pausing at all. As soo. as I reach my room I quickly change to sleep again. In the morning it seems as though nothing happened last night, even my shoes are clean even though I thought there was mud in the garden last night. I shake my head and sigh.

"Young miss, what happen?," Xiao Qing asks with concern. I look at her and sigh but don't answer because I myself don't know. "You keep sighing, tell me what happened," Xiao Qing says with a feel of gentle assertion.

"I don't know, maybe it was a bad dream, or I am too careless. Maybe it's better for me not to know," I tell her as I mull it over once more then set it aside. "I'm hungry let's just eat," I suggest allowing the idea to completely be put to rest.

"Okay, alright, here is your breakfast and morning tea," Xiao Qing says setting down the food in her hands. "I got you some fresh leaves and ones dried from yesterday, taste it," she says setting down a pot of tea and serving me a cup. I tap a small sip and savor the fresh crisp taste of the tea. The air seems to hold the smell of rich wet earth as though it rained or maybe rain will soon come.

"Has it rained or will it rain?" I ask Xiao Qing. Xiao Qing produces a small packet and hands it me.

"It hasn't rained yet so maybe it will rain soon. Older sister Ying Wei left this for you, if it rains this can keep you healthy," Xiao Qing explains as I bring it to my nose and smell it.

"What is it? It smells like sweet and bitter, fresh and aged, as well as sharp and gentle. So many conflicting smells," I mock complain to Xiao Qing. I smile and wait for her reaction.

"Older sister Ying Wei said it can keep you healthy in the rain. Don't let your biological sisters convince you to stay outside in the rain, it's cold and wet, and then you'll be cold and wet," Xiao Qing cautions.

"I know it now, don't worry," I say and put the packet away. Before I touch my food a handsome voice booms with power and conviction.

"Let me in!, let me see my future wife!, I don't care if she can't remember! we can make new memories together!, LeT ME iN!" The voice commands. I realise the ruckus has reached my open doors. There is a group of guards begging the man to think twice but not daring to stop him. "Oh my poor Yin'er, you've suffered," the man says. The man who rushed into my courtyard is the Crown Prince, my fiancé apparently, and I gather myself to meet him.

"It's alright, I'll see him," I tell the guards and beckon them away.

"Yin'er!" the Crown Prince calls gathering me into a hug. I stiffen but pat his back despite his strong grasp.

"I'm alright, I promise, but I don't know who you are, nor who I am," I tell him trying to sound cold and monotone but it sounds like I'm disheartened. The Crown Prince's straightens us up and the he looks down at me and gives me a piercing gaze as though he can read all my thoughts if he stares into my eyes long enough. I look away and step out of his hold which makes him grab my wrist.

"Don't go!" he says before I can properly say 'ow'. I look at him with a piercing gaze of own. He reads my gaze and he gently slides his hand in mine. "Please, don't leave, let us discuss the next step," he says half leading me to my table that is housing an unfinished game of go.

"I don't know what happened, who I am, or where I wanted to be," I say hoping he'll realise the situation I'm in is less than ideal.

"It's okay, I proclaimed to the entire Empire that I would marry you after you woke, even if things changed I will marry you, my royal father has decreed our marriage to happen already as well, your parents accepted and even sent dowry to the palace already, and if you want to I'll help you remember who you are or I'll help you become who you want to be, I'll give you new memories, promise me you'll marry me?" the Crown Prince explains and pleads, never letting go of my hand.

"I can't promise you anything but I'll be willing to marry you as long as I am able to have my own terms: your honesty, my freedom, and I'll need time. I have heard you are supposed to marry other women but I don't want you to and if you do at least have the decency to tell me. I want to be able to come and go as I please and J want to be able to be comfortablein my own home. I'm willing to marry you as soon as tomorrow but after we are married I will need you to be able to let me try to remember, try to understand what happened to me, and for you to allow me the time to adjust and adapt accordingly," I say laying out my terms of marriage with him. He has a wide smile and his eyes are glimmering and he displays small fireworks in his hands.

"I promise you," he vows squeezing my hand softly. He produced a small red jade dragon pendant and places it in my hand. "When couples agree to marry they give each each other pendants, this is my promise to you, you can give me pendant later if you don't have one to give me," he explains. The pendant he gave me is the one he was wearing and so I take the pendant I was dressed with and give it to him.

"This pendant is for you then," I say and place it in his hand. At that moment, Physician Ying Wei enters.

"Your mother gave that to you, she got it when she was traveling with your father, you wear it everyday even though you don't remember," Ying Wei says. "I hope this is the marriage pendant swap?" she questions with worry.

"It is," the Crown Prince proudly answers. "She agreed to marry me," he says happily. Ying Wei looks at me and I shake my head affirming his words. I think for a moment and realise I don't know his name.

"Wait, I don't even know your name," I state and they laugh. The Crown Prince smiles and leans towards me.

"My name isn't important because you'll be calling me Husband soon, won't you?" he teases. I don't understand the meaning of the words but they are laughing.

"Just tell me, I don't understand, and I want to know," I say defiantly. The Crown Prince collects himself, still smiling a wide grin.

"My name is Zhang Sun Jin," he says with the end of another laugh.

"If he irritates you call him old man," Ying Wei weighs in. The Crown Prince looks at her with a frown.

"She doesn't remember that," he tells her with a scowl. Ying Wei stifles a laugh.

"She has a right to remember such an important and old nickname for her husband. Men shouldn't fear age anyway," Ying Wei says to combat his scowl. His scowl disappears and she looks at me and winks.

"So I call you old man?" I ask seriously and the scowl returns to his face and Ying Wei shuffles towards me.

"This is for you, the medicine provides nourishment to your head, and helps maintain your body," Ying Wei explains then starts to leave. Before she steps out of my room she turns back with a smile. "Goodbye Crown Princess and her old man," she says and rushes away. The Crown Prince makes a sucking sound and I can't help but give a small giggle.

"Oh no now you're laughing at my misery?" The Crown Prince says and grabs his chest and mock says "I've truly taken a blow to the heart," and he mock falls limp on the table. I remain unmoving and he turns to look up at me.

"Oh no, you are so pitiful, there there," I say and pat him on his head. He sits up, catches my hand, and pulls me closer to him.

"You have pity on your great husband but offer him no relief?" he asks me with a patient expression. I stare into his eyes and try to figure out what he means. "Give me a kiss to nurse my wounds," he answers to my searching face.

"Oh is that what will make you feel better?" I ask without remorse as he looks dejected for a moment. He kisses me on my forehead and stands up.

"I have to return to the palace to report to my parents that you agree," he says with excitement. "I'll come back with your dowry myself! I'll be leaving now," he exclaims and then leaves. When he's gone, Xiao Qing returns with tea.

"Where is everyone?" Xiao Qing asks me. I smile at her and take a cup of tea.

"You missed Ying Wei and the Crown Prince," I inform her, she crosses her arms in a pout. I pull her to sit next to me and make her explain go to me.

°°°

Two weeks later

"Bai Mei Yin, your father and mother are waiting for you in the main hall," Xiao Qing informs me as she bring back fresh tea.

"Help me get dressed," I ask her as I am half way through changing and will take a long time if I finish dressing myself. I have pulled on two layers of a beautiful lavender brocade and a beautiful blue silk dress my mother made me. I wear the warm jade pendant the Crown prince gave me and go to give morning greetings and to find out why I've been summoned.

"You're here," my father says and steps to the side for my mother to lead me to see the Crown Prince is in the hall with someone.

"I came like I promised," the Crown Prince says to me. He beckons to the person next him and they unfold a beautiful length of golden fabric.

"That's the Head of Palace affairs, Wei Cao," the Crown Prince says as he comes to my side. Then everyone in the mansion comes and is bowing. The Crown Prince places my hand over my hearts in a fist and we bow.

The edict is read and accepted by me. The edict declares for the wedding to held on the auspicious day of the second day of September. It comes a month after I've woken up and two weeks after I accepted the Crown Prince's proposal.

I sit in my room surrounded by the dowry Zhangsun Jin has personally delivered, he truly has been true to his word. When we are alone he presents a fine ornamental box engraved and embedded with precious gems, jewels and details of jade.

"What is this?" I ask as he places the fine box in my hands. It's weight is pretty hefty I acknowledge.

"It's our secret. I'll show you," he explains and grabs the box and sits next to me. He set the box on the tea table between us. He pulls the pendant from his side, it's my pendant and he's added a smaller jade piece under it. "Hold this and give me your pendant," he says handing me his pendant and I take off my pendant and pass it to him. "Tgis is the key to the box only me and you have them, and only we can open it. This is your key," he says tying a similar piece of jade to my pendant with care.

"What's the secret?" I ask wondering if a locked box is worth as much praise as 'secret'. He smiles and he places my pendant in my hand and inserts it to the box.

He moves my hand then the box opens, a melody plays and a small bird and a dragon turns as though they are dancing to the tune. The bird I realise is a phoenix, it's made of warm red jade with notes of white jade and gold giving detail to the phoenix, the dragon is made of white jade with gold tipped scales and other gold details. In between the two is a jeweled egg.