Entwined Fate

Under the soft, caressing glow of the moonlight, an ethereal beauty sat on her elegantly adorned bed, her thoughts as restless as the flickering candles in her room.

Her deep, captivating blue eyes were vacant, lost in a million thoughts. Her silver hair, long and lustrous, cascaded down her back in gentle waves, framing her visage like a halo made from the whispers of the night itself. Her chest rose and fell lightly with every breath, the curves of her bust prominent, adding to her alluring feminine charm.

Her mind was fraught with confusion and an underlying tension, especially after everything that happened this night.

Olivia replayed the odd interaction she witnessed earlier between her mother and the mysterious Bai Ling. She had stealthily followed them, her curiosity piqued, but the shadows cast by the grandeur of the palace architecture had concealed her presence.

She couldn't quite decipher the words exchanged, their voices mere murmurs in the vast, echoing halls. However, the expressions, the subtle glances, and the undeniably magnetic atmosphere around Bai Ling had not escaped her notice. Her mother, always the epitome of control and regality, seemed subtly perturbed, almost disarmed by his engaging charm and easy confidence.

Her fingers absentmindedly playing with strands of her silvery hair while wondering if there was some kind of history between them two.

She did know for a fact that her mother married her father late surprisingly. She still found it quite baffling that her mother used to live alone in some remote area on her own for so long while comprehending the dao of sword.

But she never asked her if she had been involved with any men before marrying her father. 

Could Bai Ling…

'That was absurd to think…He can't possibly be involved," Olivia didn't like the idea of it and felt that she must be overthinking it.

Just as her thoughts began to spiral, weaving a tapestry of scenarios and what-ifs, a subtle, almost imperceptible sound drew her attention.

Her room, bathed in the soft luminescence of the moon and silent but for her erratic heartbeat, seemed to hum with anticipation. The window, previously closed, slid open with haunting slowness, the motion stealthy and calculated.

Olivia's heart skipped a beat, her blue eyes widening as they darted towards the window. 

But she didn't panic and her eyes dangerously narrowed, her hand reaching for a blade near her bed.

Something like this had never happened before nor would anybody dare to but she was prepared to kill whoever the intruder was.

But the moment the intruder jumped in, Olivia's visage reflected an amalgamation of surprise, bewilderment, and a faint glimmer of anticipation upon seeing the tall, charming man standing before her, "L-Lord Bai??"

Bai Ling's sudden appearance had broken the chain of her tumultuous thoughts, yet it had also instilled a different kind of tumult within her - one of unexpected reunion and unsaid words hanging in the air between them.

Bai Ling, with his signature charm adorning his lips in a subtle, tantalizing smile, addressed her softly, "Lord Bai may sound very formal, don't you think, considering the depth of what we've shared, Olivia?" His eyes, dark and inscrutable like the distant cosmos, twinkled with unspoken understanding and perhaps, a hint of teasing playfulness.

"I..I…" Olivia felt at a loss for words, her eyes blinking as she lowered her blade.

"I hope you won't hold my rather unorthodox entrance against me," he continued, his tone light yet laden with gravity. "The castle's magnificent walls do provide impeccable security, but they also act as barriers, keeping away the delightful chance of serendipity."

Olivia, her heart beating with the erratic rhythm of confusion and the faint echoes of allure, hesitated momentarily before speaking, "Bai Ling…why did you want to see me so urgently?"

With a nonchalant shrug that seemed to accentuate his undeniable allure, he replied, "Why not, indeed? The night is young, and the stars are hidden, cloaked behind the veil of the night sky. A perfect opportunity for a conversation we owe each other, don't you think?"

His gaze, intense and searching, fell upon hers as he added, "Moreover, after the dance of life and death we shared, after the whispers of intimacy and the cloak of danger we were enwrapped in, how could I not wish to see you? To ensure you are well, to revel in your recovery and perhaps, to understand how our fates are entwined."

Olivia's cheeks flushed, the roseate hue a delicate contrast to her pale skin, as memories flickered, casting shadows and light in her mind's eye, "There is no obligation, Bai Ling," she responded, her voice a whisper against the silence and a graceful smile hanging on her lips, "What transpired was a matter of life and death, and for your help, I am eternally grateful. There is no debt, no expectation. You don't have to worry."

Olivia wondered if he was feeling responsible or obligated because of what happened that day. But she didn't want him to anchor himself to her just because of that.

That wouldn't be fair to any of them.

His smile deepened, the curve of his lips crafting an enigma of shadows and moonlight.

He then stepped closer, making Olivia's heart beat faster and even more as his hand gently cupped her face and his deep eyes gazing into hers, "Do you really think I came here because I felt responsible? You are gravely mistaken, princess. I came here because I couldn't stop thinking about you, especially the warmth we shared together. Or am I alone in thinking so?"

Olivia's heart fluttered as she smiled and cupped his hand as she shook her head with a warm smile, "No…I couldn't stop thinking about you as well," Olivia felt as if a weight was lifted off her chest upon feeling relieved that he shared the same feelings as her.