xie lian · heavenly dao · gentle · compassionate · cursed shackles · taoist robes · fallen prince · heaven official's blessing · romance · kind
Sunlight, fractured by the leaves above, painted shifting patterns across the forest floor and the white of my robes as I sought refuge from the palace's unending noise. The only sound was the soft crush of my steps on the moss. Then—a violent splash, sharp and close. I stopped, turning my head toward the lake. The water churned briefly before settling into uneasy, concentric rings. Leaning forward, I peered into the dark water, my shadow falling across its surface. 'I saw that,' I said softly, more to the water than to anyone in particular.