12 UNDER THE MOON

After dinner, Mother Yan, Meng De, and Lady Ding sat in the living room waiting for the fruit dessert. The consorts entered with plates for each one of them. Each plate contained cantaloupe, grapes, oranges, and peach. Standing by the side of Lady Ding, Bian licked her lips in the smell of them. "Consort Bian," Mother Yan called. "Yes, Lady Yan," Bian answered. "Come here," she waved at Bian to come towards her. Bian looked at Lady Ding for permission. Lady Ding smiled, "do not be rude, Mother is calling you." Bian walk to Mother Yan. "Come sit by me," Mother Yan tapped next to her. Bian snatches looks at Lady Ding, who concentrated on her fruits. Bian decided to follow Mother Yan's instructions and sat next to her. "Would you like some fruits?" Mother Yan asked. "I am fine," Bian lied but saliva formed in her mouth. "It is healthy for the baby, eat some," Mother Yan handed a grape to Bian. Bian hesitant to take it but did anyways to not be rude. Mother Yan watched her as she ate the grape. She wanted more, little anger inside of her grew as she tried to resist herself in front of Mother Yan. "When I was pregnant with Meng De, I would always crave for apples, and people would always tell me that I was going to have a smart child, because that was all I craved for. Many of the concubines would crave for many things such as duck, eggs, sour, or spicy things. But I remember just eating apples after apples and the physician had to force me to eat fatty things," Mother Yan chuckled at her own story. "Meng De is very intelligent now, due to Mother Yan eating many apples," Lady Ding said and chuckled along with Mother Yan. Bian fake a smile looking at Mother Yan and Lady Ding to catch Meng De staring at her. He smiled at her. Shivers went down her back, not in fear, but in being attracted to Meng De's smile. She blushed and look away.

"Consort, give Consort Bian a bowl," Meng De ordered. Lady Ding cleared her throat, "I'll be taking my leave, Guo and Mei need to go to bed," she said. "Yes daughter, take the little ones to sleep, it is dark outside now," Mother Yan said. "Let's go Consort Bian," Lady Ding said. "Yes, Lady Ding," Bian stood up, excuse herself, and followed Lady Ding.

"Consort Bian is glowing beautifully," Mother Yan told Meng De. Meng De nodded and finished his bowl, "mother, let me take you to bed," he said. "Yes yes," Mother Yan said. She wiped her mouth and waved at the consorts to clean up the bowls. "Did you really crave for apples when you had me?" Meng De asked his mother as he walked her to her manor. "Yes, apples and other fruits, but apples more," Mother Yan said. "Lady Ding never had any cravings for the last two pregnancies," Meng De said remembering Lady Ding's pregnancies. "It depends on the lady, Lady Ding is a strong lady, her pregnancies treated her well," Mother Yan said. Meng De sits his mother down on the tea table and bid her good night.

Meng De returned to his room to get ready for bed. Blowing out his candles, he can still see the full moon sending light into his room. "Consort Bian, I will bring you more peaches," a consort said. Meng De heard the commotion and lite a candle. He puts on his thicker robe for the outside chill. He stepped outside his door seeing the consort almost running into him and then stopped. "General Meng De," the consort lowers her head in fear. "What are you doing so loud at night?" Meng De asked. "It is Consort Bian," the consort stuttered in fear, "she is she want peaches because she is preg..she is craving them." Meng De sighs at the incompetent consort stuttering in her words. He sees her holding onto the bowl of sliced peaches. "Give it to me," he said. The consort handed him the bowl. "Go to bed," he ordered. The consort nodded and turn to leave.

Meng De walked towards the court yard to find Bian sitting down looking at the moon. He puts the bowl next to her. "Thank you," Bian said as she reached to grab one of the peach slice. Meng De took off his robe and puts it around Bian. Bian moves to the action and turned to see Meng De. Startled, she stood up, "General Cao Cao," she greeted. "I brought you some peaches, heard you were craving them," Meng De shrugged. "Thank you," Bian said. Meng De fixed his robe on Bian to cover her shoulders since she moved and the robe slightly fell off. "It is cold at night," he said as he finishes fixing the robe. Meng De sat down and took one of the peach slice and ate. He looked at the moon, "it is a beautiful full moon tonight." Bian looks up back to the moon and smiles. Meng De saw her smile. He yanked her arm quick to pull her down next to him. "Ah," Bian screamed as she fell onto of Meng De and he catches her.

Bian blink fast as she faces Meng De. Meng De blushed as he felt more immersed in her beauty. She is shining beautifully making him want her more. "Why smile to the moon and not me?" he asked. Bian was confused at his question and blinks more in confusion. "You smile at Lady Ding, Consort Ling, and the moon, what about me, am I not worthy as the moon?" Meng De softly whispered. Bian tapped him to release her so she can fix her posture. He slowly released her. She sat next to him looking at his pity eyes as if he is pleading her. Her heart race, she got angry at this unborn child making her feel bad for the person she should hate. "My smile is not worthy of you," Bian looked at the almighty figure in front of her, "you fight wars, make enemies surrender on your feet, and claim lands back to the Emperor, you are worthy more than the moon, Lady Ding, and sister Ling," Bian said. Meng De looks at Bian and her humbleness moved his heart. He caresses her face as his thumb rubbed her cheeks. "But right now, I am a powerless man in front of you, do I not deserve this beautiful smile of yours," Meng De said as he slowly rubbed her cheeks to her slightly touching the side of her mouth. Bian slowly back away on her sitting to get away from Meng De's touch. His hand is in the air as Bian backs away and he rubbed his fingers together then dropped them. He sighs, "eat your peaches," he said. Bian nodded and ate more of the peach slices. She was really craving them and waiting for them after Lady Ding went to sleep. Bian ate them satisfying her craving. Her salivating stopped and the little anger inside of her for her craving stopped too.

Bian noticed she was eating all the peaches without sharing it. She looked at Meng De, who was observing her. Bian quickly handed the bowl to Meng De, "General Cao Cao, please eat some," she offered. Meng De serious face observing her, crack a smile at Bian's humbleness. He shook his head no and blinked at her gently telling her to enjoy it herself. Bian saw how gentle Meng De can be and she knew how he can gentle be if he chooses to be, just like how he is gentle with Lady Ding. Bian finish the last piece of peach after eating a whole bowl of them. "Go to bed now," Meng De said. Bian is starting to get tired and nodded. She took off his robe to give it to him, but Meng De stopped her half way. "Do not withstand the cold," he said standing up and left in a manner. Bian watched his figure disappear to the halls. She felt her heart; can she really hear the baby's heartbeat? She tried real hard but only can hear her own heartbeat racing fast as if she is charmed by Meng De's gentle caring ways.