The harsh winter was almost over in Yu kingdom,

While the plants and animals woke up from the hibernation, the most awaited news from the Yu palace, finally arrived like a blessing.

"The scion of the royal family of Yu clan has bloomed in Bai Ling Yue's womb,"

The Queen is pregnant.

The whole kingdom forgot about the uneasiness brought by the proposal from the Wei empire and rejoiced in contentment.

Even Bai Yu Yue who had a hard time improving her health has finally managed to gain some weight and appeared more cheerful.

When she found that she is going to be an "Aunt," half of the worries in her mind has vanished into thin air.

The spring season in Yu kingdom is considered as the best time to get married. Every corner of the country will be filled with people who are cheerfully getting ready to attend the marriages. The celebrations which started from the early mornings lasted till evenings, creating a festive mood all over the place.

"These marriage and functions are tiring. I am not going to get married in my lifetime."

Bai Yu Yue, who came after a shower muttered to herself and sat in front of the mirror to dry her hair. She has returned to the palace half an hour ago, after attending one of her fellow soldier's marriage.

Suddenly Huo Jin's charming reflection appeared on the mirror.

"Speak of the devil," Bai Yu Yue chuckled," I merely mentioned about marriage and you came."

She looked at his dazed expression with a smile.

"Senior Jin, you look handsome today."

He tried to say something, however, Bai Yu Yue continued,

"Yeah, I know that you always been a charmer, but today you look exceptional." She didn't forget to praise his exquisite looks.

" Ah, you must be happy that half of my problems are settled now and so you came to remind me about the promise?"

Bai Yu Yue stopped drying her hair and picked up her nightclothes.

"I need to change, will you leave or should I leave?" She asked him casually,

" Let's do something, you stay here while I am changing. If you leave now, I don't know when you are coming back."

Huo Jin looked at her, unable to adjust with the sudden change in Bai Yu Yue's cold personality. "Why is she acting weird?"

The Bai Yu Yue he knows was never been so amicable,

Bai Yu Yue went behind the wooden divider built in the room and quickly changed into a pair of comfortable nightclothes.

She climbed onto the soft bed and arranged the pillows while preparing to lie down,

"Are you coming or not?"

Without averting his gaze from the girl sitting on the bed, Huo Jin headed towards her.

"I must be crazy to see you every day, even though you are not here" Bai Yu Yue sighed and continued.

"The doctor said that, due to my weak mental condition, I am imagining all of these in my mind. My late mother, my ancestors, they used to talk to me in my dreams. Do you think there is something wrong with me?"

She asked him while snuggling into a pillow with a worried face,

"No," Huo Jin replied earnestly and sat next to her. "It is said that people with strong minds are able to talk with deceased people."

"Oh really!" Bai Yu Yue said as if it is a piece of new information for her.

"But you are not dead," She shook her head and looked at him, "You look so real," Bai Yu Yue's mouth twitched slightly,

"Doctor said that I worry too much and there might be chances that I'm considering you as my solace in life."

"Is that so?" Huo Jin raised his eyebrows and a playful smile hung his thin lips.

"Maybe I am just missing you?" Bai Yu Yue bit her nails while contemplating,

"Do you miss me?"

Bai Yu Yue took a moment for answering. "I don't know."

"You seriously don't know?" he asked to confirm,

Bai Yu Yue stared at his breathtakingly stunning face and sighed,

"Should I tell you the truth?"

Huo Jin nodded in agreement,

"I think I love you."

As soon as the statement left Bai Yu Yue's lips, Huo Jin's lips broke into a radiant smile. "I knew it"

"Is it really obvious? I tried to hide it," Bai Yu Yue pursed her lips in disappointment.

"Why are you hiding it?

"I should not be doing all these. These love and affection, I should keep a distance from all of these."

"Why?"

"I am not allowed," her face appeared dispirited, "I am bound to follow the rules of this kingdom."

"Does the kingdom inhibit you from having a marriage?"

"No."

"Then what is the problem? Your sister got married and they are expecting a baby."

"My sister is the firstborn of the generation and she is supposed to carry the bloodline."

"What about you? I thought you are a princess." He quickly retorted,

"I am, but rather than being a princess I prefer to be the part of royal guards. I am not allowed to have these kinds of," Bai Yu Yue tried to find an excuse to hide the feelings in her heart,

"Your sister got married to a royal guard,"

"Their case is different. First brother and my sister, both of them love each other. He is like a knight in silver armour for my sister."

"What about me?" Huo Jin crossed his arms and asked in a serious tone, "Are you considering me as a knight?"

"Do I look like a damsel in distress to you?" Bai Yu Yue scoffed,

"Absolutely not and I don't want to become a knight in silver armour," Huo Jin declared in the same tone.

"Then why are chasing me?"

"There will be thousands of damsels in distress. What I am searching is for a warrior who can wield a sword and joins the fight to rescue those damsels," His obsidian eyes glittered in passion,

Bai Yu Yue held her forehead and avoided his eyes, "I am confused,"

"Is it because of your little princess?" He asked. "Xue Lian confessed that she-"

"We sort it out," Bai Yu Yue immediately cut him off,

"How? Are you planning to build a reverse harem?" He asked with a giggle.

"We may have various suitors, but we only have one partner." Bai Yu Yue said with a straight face."We are like those birds which mate for their life. We will only have a partner in this lifetime. Haven't you seen my father? It has been ten years since my mother passed away and he is still single," Her voice sounded melancholic,

"Your rules are bizarre," Huo Jin commented and drag her attention back to their topic, "So who is that bird whom you selected to "mate" for the life?" Huo Jin emphasized on the word.

"Xue Lian," Bai Yu Yue stopped for a moment, "Sometimes I feel bad for her for choosing me to love, but still I am unable to reciprocate her feelings. I've always considered her as my little sister,"

Huh? Huo Jin's eyes widened surprise. "Does it mean that you choose me over?"

"I can't choose someone whom I barely knew for a week," She rebutted with her usual cold self,

Huo Jin broke into a burst of laughter, " Ya, tell me a proper reason for not to chase you?"

Bai Yu Yue rolled her big eyes at him,

"I don't know anything about you apart from your name, I know nothing about your home or your family."

"Then you should've asked me about my family while we were together," he sneered,

"This reason is invalid, tell me a better one,"

"I cannot marry a man from outside."

"Seriously" He glared at her, "You want me to believe that?"

"Yes, it is the truth. Nobody in Yu clan ever married a person from outside."

"Really! Then be the first one to get married to someone from another clan." Huo Jin suggested, "I thought Yu clan valued maiden's wishes."

"Yes, but it is difficult since I belong to the royal family. I can try to convince the family, but what about the people in my clan?"

"Do you think that your people will criticize you because of you married an outsider?"

"We have rooted to this place senior Jin, even if I convince everyone, I can't leave this place."

"Why?"

"It is the rule."

"Are you not capable enough to break the rules?"

"How could I?" Bai Yu Yue exclaimed,

"But I heard that emperor sent the proposal for the queen."

"We rejected it using this rule." She said with a plain face, "We will reject him again,"

"What If, I don't want you to leave the Tu mountains?"

She looked at him with dubious eyes. "What are you saying?"

"Let's get married and settle here." He sounded resolute,

" No, I don't want to do that."

"Why?"

"You have a family, your kingdom, your duties await for you. How can I be selfish and tie you down with my love?"

"You love me, but you don't want me?" He smirked,

Instead of answering, Bai Yu Yue curled up and hugged her pillow.

"This is the question which keeps me in confusion."

"And yet you asked me to come and find me. How fickle-minded?"Huo Jin couldn't help but comment upon her remarks,

"Fickle minded?" Bai Yu Yue straightened her back upon hearing his words.

"Yes, you are fickle-minded, short-tempered and crazy."

Bai Yu Yue's nose flared in anger, but in a moment, her anger got replaced by bewilderment.

"Aiiishhhh, I think there is something really wrong with me. I am imagining things and look, I am arguing with imaginary Huo Jin. I must be really sick." She let out a laugh and hugged the pillow with a puzzled look.

"You are trying to hide your true heart, that's why you feel sick." Huo Jin pointed out while Bai Yu Yue remained silent,

"Would you mind if I lie next to you?" he suddenly proposed.

Bai Yu Yue moved to the other side and made space for him in the bed,

"You are a pervert in real life but acts like a gentleman in my imagination." She chuckled.

"Who are you calling a pervert?" Huo Jin asked and pounded on to her with a mischievous smile.

Bai Yu Yue tried to stop him using her hands. The moment her hands came in contact with his strong pectoral muscles, Bai Yu Yue felt a lightning bolt had struck her.

She gaped at the handsome face which was just a breath away from her.

"You!" She paused in perplexity,

"Found you," Huo Jin leaned closer and captured her soft lips, without giving Bai Yu Yue a moment to think,

The warmth of his hot breath rushed into her senses, while he passionately kissed her, just like the way he did it the day he met Bai Yu Yue for the first time,

Like a vampire sucking out blood, he devoured on her lips.

He tangled her cold palms with his burning hands and pressed her down to the bed,

Bai Yu Yue could feel his pulsating heart and his body warmth transmitting through the thin barrier of their clothes,

It wasn't her imagination,

It was Huo Jin,

He fulfilled his promise,

He came looking for her,