113 Watching the Stars

When the dinner is finished the day already seems to be getting darker. As the moon reveals itself over the horizon.

During the dinner Tony couldn't help notice the flirtatious glances Zetian's step-sister Qin Er displayed to him while they were silently eating. There's this awkwardness that existed in the atmosphere that made it really strange during dinnertime.

Lot of pleasantries were exchanged during this period as Tony would briefly listen and nod along with what the stepmother would be saying.

Walking around the large countryside courtyard with large rocks and well decorated gardens of different trees strikes a peaceful mood upon the viewer.

Especially with the yellow sun that flows upon the sky above as it just about sets on the mountain that's afar.

The bright moon also starts faintly showing herself in the dawning horizon. 'What speed time goes by. Mere mortals we are who can only watch as everything passes away from our side," Tony thought to himself standing in a flower garden that's decorated with different scents that swells up in the air.

Walking in the courtyards he soon discovered a quiet alleyway that mysterious hints a sign of adventure. Following this path he finds himself being lead away to a wooden door that shuts away the mystery that's to come.

Opening the two doors with a gentle push the hinges produced an eerie sound. He find that it actually leads to a backyard filled with trees and bushes that covers the place.

As he walked on the trodden path where someone clearly came before he soon discovered Zetian sitting on top of a hill.

Her large brown eyes transpose on the distant landscape. Her outfit seems to change to a pink tradition dress with a coat to cover herself from the chilly evening wind.

She seemed to notice Tony coming close to her direction yet she seemed not to care at all. Only focused on that same direction of the sky as before.

"Why do we only grow wise we are all too old to do much in life anyways?" her small voice echoes a bit in the valley. Though it is a question for one person.

Sitting down next to her one man looks at the direction she does, trying to see the world she sees through her eyes. The good, the bad, the ugly.

Her eyes seem to contain large memories in them that makes her more unique. The more interesting like trying to slowly read a storybook that's handed to you.

Tony took a sigh as he also thought about this question. Time for him has already been transformed into a useless number.

He thought about the time when he was Duke, then with his Master, and all those other people he known and loved along the way.

No matter how close they were or how real it all seem to him of the past all of that is not only just another 'dream' that he could faintly tell himself it is more real than a 'dream.

As he thought of how time also seems to go by he heard a sobbing sound. But more like a tinge of sadness as he notices from the corner of his eyes a drop of tears fall down from the corners of her eyes.

There wasn't a word that can be said, he's just so perplexed by her. At the same time there remains a calmness about her despite the sadness on her face.

"If love is just a word. Then why do I feel so empty when I realize it is no longer here?" Her hand from the right placed over her beating heart.

She looks down on where her right hand is then her eyes looked at him. Those soulful eyes that seemed to be speaking a million words at the same time.

As each tear slowly fades itself into the green lush grass. The reflecting dark sky reveals almost a similar color to her mood this moment.

Reaching his hand to comb through her dark long hair he speaks warmly to her in a slow way but in a sincere tone that reflects his own confusion of life, "Too wise, but too old. No matter one's age there will always be countless questions unanswered."

Her eyes looked downwards with reflection, in her eyes there seems to be a story she's waiting to be told.

There's nothing to disturb the silence as Tony sits there waiting for the story to unfold. Waiting for her lips to part, not wanting to stop the magic of everything to reveal what she's wanting to be telling him.

"You know this used to be the place where my mother would bring me to watch the sunset," there was this small smile that glows on her face. It is a simple smile more wonderful as it is than what is on the Mona Lisa.

"You're actually the first person to find me here after my mother is gone," she tells him. "I don't really know why I shared all of this with you even though we just met."

Her eyes seems large yet with purity like an empty cup without hiding anything inside.

"Well if you don't mind I want to be here with you everyday when you feel like life is being a burden on you," there wasn't anything asked of her just gift of warmth hoping that her sadness which are like an ice glacier can slowly be melt away.

"Thanks," she answered weakly.

For the rest of the evening Tony simply sit next to her until it got late. Walking her back to her room when there seems to be only stars that lasts above.

She would look at him, just peaking at him in an innocent way during that silence. There's the grasshoppers that are chirping away the awkwardness between these two unknown strangers of the night.

In a lot of ways, sometimes a period of silence together can be more harmonious and more meaningful than a thousand sweet or flattery words.

The wind would be blowing on the leaves of the garden just ever so with ease as the two walked by.