One Year

Gift (7)

After Ryu and Siri took their leave from the Shining Pearl Teahouse two hours later, Ryu had taken her to the book store. Inside the book store, Siri spent a whole three hours pouring through all the medical books and any other book that caught her fancy. By the end of the three hours, Ryu bought her twenty books in total. From there they went to an instrument store where Ryu bought her a new Guzheng and guqin. He then took her on a tour of the city and taught her all about the places they saw. From the busy market place, to the clothing district, where bolts of cloth and clothes could be bought. He showed her the entrance to the red light district and the gambling dens alleyway. He showed her were all the royal family's second home was located and where all the nobel families lives. He also showed her where the merchant lived and the poor. He showed her the docks where several large ships docked and the seamen who worked on them. Ryu gave her the best tour Siri could ever hope for. He showed her the whole city and patiently explained everything to her.

From day until night, Siri spent the whole day with Ryu. Her heart felt light and yet full at the same time. She could not stop the smile from forming on her lips and the shining of enjoyment from her eyes. Ryu really did indulged her. Spoiled her quiet rotten to the core and she could feel the sweetness hit her heart as she sighed happily.

"Happy?" Ryu asked as they rode to their next destination.

"Em." Siri said.

"Having fun?"

"Em!" Siri said excitedly. "Aren't you?"

"As long as Wife is having fun, Husband is having fun as well." Ryu answered her the same way as before.

Before long, his carriage stopped in front of a private residence. Outside the gates two rows of servant on one side and one row of maids stood on the other side. When Ryu alighted from the carriage with the help of Liam, they all bowed in unison. Ryu held his hand out to Siri to help her get out of the carriage and Siri didn't hesitate to grab hold of his hand. When she was on the ground, she did not let his hand go, instead she held on to them as they proceed into the private residence.

"Greetings to Prince Ryu and Princess Siri."

And in unison, all the servants bowed even lower than they have before. When they reached the gate into the residence Steward Mo had bowed and stood up to greet them.

"Greetings Prince Ryu and Princess Siri. Welcome. Everything has been prepared for your enjoyment." Steward Mo said as he walked behind them when they passed.

Siri's eyes lit up in wonder as the whole courtyard was lit up, shining in candle lanterns that lit up their way on the pathway. There were several dozen candle lanterns in the trees which made the surroundings even more beautiful. They followed the pathway until it reached the a small lake. On the shore was a boat with one candle lantern. Ryu stood up and got into the boat, seeing how it was just Ryu, Siri, Liam and Steward Mo.

Liam pushed the boat off into the lake after Ryu and Siri got in and sat down. Ryu rowed the boat to the middle of the lake. The whole time Siri's lips couldn't stop smiling.

"Look up." Ryu said as he put the oars inside of the boat.

Siri looked up and saw the beautiful stars that shined brightly from the sky. The moon shined just as brightly next to the stars and Siri's eyes widen in surprise and wonder. There were three moons in the sky. Whatever land and dimension she was in now, it had three moons and it was beautiful.

"Beautiful." Siri said as she looked back at Ryu.

"Em." Ryu agree. "Beautiful."

But when he said those words, he had been staring at Siri the whole time.

"Tonight is the Night of the Moons. Where all three Moons are able to meet. It is only able to meet once every thirty years. There's a story that goes along with tonight's celebrations do you want to hear it?" Ryu asked.

Siri nods her head excitedly. "Em."

Ryu smiled slightly before telling her. "They say the three moons are a family meeting once more. The moon we see every night is the Mother Moon Goddess, watching over her people. The two moons that come every thirty years, are the Father Sky God and Son Sun God. The Father God is the Sky. Son God is the Sun that we see in the day. The day cannot meet the night. So the Mother and Son could never meet. The Father God, although vast in his existence is the only connection between the two. It is said that when the world was created, the Mother God gave up her Son to the Sun so man can have light. She became the Moon so she could watch over men when we sleep. The Father became the sky so he could stand by the people he loved so they wouldn't be so alone. And only every thirty years, would they be able to meet and be a family once more."

"And the stars?" Siri asked. "What about the stars?"

"It is the Moon Goddesses tears." Ryu told her. "We celebrate the Night of Moons as the Gods reunite. They say that tonight families should spend time together to ensure a happy and tranquil family. Should couples meet together under the three moons, they say the couple will be together for 30 years."

Siri's happy and excited eyes calmed down at his words. Was he trying to tell her that they should be together for 30 years instead of one year? What was he suggesting? Siri could feel her heart beat faster and faster. Was it just all in her head? Was she expecting too much from him? She wished he could just be direct and tell her, but she was too afraid to ask.

"That's a beautiful story." Siri told him.

Suddenly there was a loud boom in the sky as it lit up in colors. Siri's surprise face looked up to see the sky light up in fireworks. She looked at the fireworks until the very end when the stars and the three moons were the only thing still shining in the sky.

"Thank you." Siri told Ryu. "I love my gifts."

"You're welcome." Ryu said back as he put the oars into the water again.

"What is this place?" Siri asked.

"It once belonged to my mother. It was given to her as part of her dowery when she married King Saul. When she died, she gave me this property so I could live here one day with my wife and family. I've only been here a handful of times." Ryu confessed. "Although this property is beautiful, it is too big just for me. Look around you Siri, at all it's beauty, it now belongs to you."

Siri's smile die on her face. He had to be joking right?! There was only one large house that she saw when she walked with Ryu to the lake. It looked enormous and extravagant. Although she didn't see the inside, she the outside of the structure was strong and detailed. The candle lanterns were lit and were hung up on all the trees, All around her, as far as her eyes can see, she saw candle lanterns hanging on every tree.

"It's too much." Siri told him. "I can't--"

"What? My life's savior twice over can't accept my gift? Were you not the one, Wife, who kept telling me to give you a gift befitting the hard work you had to go through? Not only were you my shield, you also helped heal me. You are the reason why I can stand. Why I can walk. Why I can run again. This property, will just be rotting here in my hands. Everything around you is yours now, it's too late changing that." Ryu told her as he pulled out the signed contract and gave it to her.

Siri opened the contract and looked over the papers. Everything was already set in stone. He had already made arrangements and given her the property.

"Thank you." Siri told him as her heart felt stuffy. "Thank you."