Their love that was never together

Well I am in the mood to change my story and write something sad ..A sad love story. a cliche sad one.. haha


In the ancient times of china falling in love already existed, the emperor had his concubines, the princes and princesses married into different royal countries surrounding china. Commoners were a different story all together. However in the ancient times, love existed but was mostly never found.

People were married through arranged marriage, some had their marriage planned the day they were born. One barely had the chance to fall in love with someone else it was just how it always had been.

In the imperial grounds, where princess and prince are safetly guarded behind the walls lined with soldiers guarding the gates. Love developed under the noses of all who carried the royal blood.

The imperial grounds is a place where is laid by rules, the people live or die by it. A wrong move would have sentenced you to jail or could have had your head roll along with your innocent family. Would an affair of the heart be punishable by the rules? Would that rule still stick if the emperor was invovled in the story?

The cries of a baby rang loudly through the palace walls with loud clashes of "gong" announcing the arrival of a boy. A boy was born into the world clothed in yellow gold robe this child's destined path was set even his cries roared as he entered the world . Concubine Qing gave birth to her first child a boy whom she knew would be precious to her and the whole of china. Emperor Ming had always adored concubine qing over the other lovely ladies in his harlem and with the birth of a son he announced the boy would be his crown prince the next in line to his throne. He who was named Ming Hu Hai would never knew his life would be this special.

In the spring, where the cherry blossoms bloom another baby's cry rang through the walls. It wasn't a special occasion as the child was a girl. Concubine Ling gave birth to a lovely child of grace and beauty. The day she was born was gentle and breezy in spring, her name was given Chun Ying.

Concubine Qing overheard Concubine Ling's birth was overjoyed and brought her 6 month old child to visit the new born.

"Sister Ling How are you feeling ? I saw your daughter, she indeed has the beauty of her mother and the likeness of the emperor."

"Sister Qing. I am tired however overjoyed when I saw her. Thank you for coming and I hope the crown prince and her would grow up to be the closest siblings like how we are close to each other."

"Yes indeed, Do you agree Huang er?" The young baby boy gazed at the young infant laid next to her mother and giggled with glee of the arrival of his new sister.

Both concubines smiled at the sight . " I hope he takes care of his sister and not bully her, if he has the likeness of his father he wouldn't be a worry for me"

"Of course , the crown prince will definitely grow up to be a fine man like his father while this little princess shall grow in grace."

Days turned to months and months into years, Ming and Chun grew up together under the supervision of the 2 concubines and the endless shower of concern from the emperor. Not to forget the best nannies in whole of china is attending to the royal children.

"Brother Huang do you think you wil be a good emperor like our father?"
"Hahah of course, I will be better than father. I will fight the bad and saved the good . I will help the poor and feed the hungry!" Ming said as he acted as an emperor on his father's throne.

"haha Brother huang! you better get off the throne else concubine qing will scold you again!"
" Why should I! The throne will be mine one day! I can sit when I want!"
"Brother huang ! you have to show respect to father!"
"You are right. come lets go back to mother I am hungry . I will race you there!"
"that's not fair! you always win!" Chun yelled as she ran after her brother.

Time flies so soon when a child is growing up. Already marriage are starting to be an issue and announcement for finding an empress for the crown prince was issued out to the whole of China.

"Psst Sister chun! here here!" a soft voice spoke out and Chun looked around.
"Hey up here!" chun looked up and saw her brother sitting on top of a tree
"Brother Huang ! What are you doing! Come down now!" Chun gasped at the sight of her brother sitting there
"Hush! come on up! I have something to tell you!"
Chun followed his instructions, although they had been climbing trees since they were a kid but their weight was no longer what it was 14 years ago.

"What is it ? We could be punished for climbing this! Mother has warned me to behave now that I am officially a grown up princess!"
"Oh no worries, they are all away finding me a concubine. I am just escaping from tutor hong as well as the endless line of ladies waiting for their chance to be an empress"
"Brother Huang is getting married soon huh? Are you nervous!?What do you see in a lady?" chun giggled as she heard the news from her brother.

"I want someone like Sister Chun! Someone I can talk to about anything and everything. Just like Father and mother."
"Father and emperor dowager Qing never knew it each other until the day they married! How would you know she's the one?"
"I don't know . I don't even want to get married now!" Ming folded his arms and acted like a brat.
Chun looked at her brother and suddenly felt sad. It could be because she knew her brother was worried about being an emperor and now he has to marry someone he barely knew.
"Brother huang. Shall we go back? I am tired"Chun said and they both climbed down the tree and walked back to their rooms.

Chun sat in her room and started to feel horrible. She couldn't placed her finger on it why she was so upset. She dismissed her thoughts, washed up and went to bed.

The sun rose brightly that day , Chun wasn't feeling any better and she continued to lie on her bed . The maid who brought in the basin for her to wash her face saw princess chun's unhappy frown sat next to her and asked.

"Princess is something wrong? Are you sick? Do you need me to send for the imperial physician?"

" No it is okay Ying, I am fine. Inform mother I will be late for tea with her today as I am tired"
Maid Ying bowed and left the room. Chun felt a lump in her chest and she covered her head with the quilt and went back to bed.

For days Chun was feeling unhappy and down that she fell ill. She barely ate for the few days and was all weak. The physician diagnosed her as common flu as they could not find the root of trouble. Sometimes the heart is harder to understand than any other things.

News of the sick princess chun spread to the ears of the emperor dowager and the emperor no sooner Concubine Ling entered Princess Chun's room with two other familar faces.

"My child, Emperor Ming and Emperor Dowager is here to see you."
Princess chun struggled out of bed and caught sight of something she hasn't seen for the few days.
"Princess chun sends greetings to Brother huang and Emperor Dowager" she found her last strength to bow humbly though her knees were weak
"Rest my child ! don't have to greet use now"
"Sister Chun! I was wondering what happened to you. You look so pale! how are you feeling now? What are the imperial physicians doing! Send them all out of my grounds!"

Chun grabbed her brother's arm and stopped his actions
"Not to worry brother huang, I am fine just a common flu . I should be up soon.Thank you both for coming . You shouldnt have bothered"

"What are you saying, sister chun please get better soon! I miss going out with you! those silly servants and concubines are boring."

Chun felt a sudden burst of warmness feeling her all over and finally she found out what happened. she knew why she was sad.

The emperor dowager saw the change in chun's expression and said " Son and Sister ling I have something I need to talk to Chun in private would you mind if you could spare us some quiet moments?"

Both nodded and left the room.

Chun sat up on her bed as the Emperor dowager qing sat next to her .
"something is wrong my child, would you like to share with me ?"
" nothing to worry my highness. It has to be the change in weather that got me down."
"Chun I know you for so long and I know how you behave. I may not be your mother but I have seen you grow up in front of my eyes. nothing escapes me "
Shocked by the statement Chun felt a sharp pain and she tried hard to hide the truth.
" nothing really !"
" Chun I may treat you as my own but I will still punish you for lying to me"
"I ...." chun swallowed her saliva and saw her highness eyes staring into hers.
"I ... I think I have falled in love with brother huang! I am so sorry . I know this is not be coming of a princess. I am trying to control my feelings , please rest assure I will not let my emotions get the better of me. Please forgive me." Chun said as she cried and covered her face.

The emperor dowager knew it was as spoken, she held onto chun and allowed chun to cry for she has been containing it for so long.
" I understand child. rest assured I will not say this out but I have to remind you . the emperor and you are related by blood it is not possible between the both of you. I hope you understand . you are a sensible child and I can trust you . Please try to get better and forget my child."

Chun looked at her and nodded in silence for she knew too that what she wished was not possible.

The next morning , chun got up feeling better . her long contained feelings was finally out and she knew she had to solve it .

"morning ying, Lovely day isn't it ? take a walk with me ?"
"yes princess! you look so much better today"
Chun smiled and finally after days she stepped into the light. The sun shone brightly at her and the clouds gently rolled by. Chun looked at the flowers by the her side and bend over to smell it.

" a beautiful flower with many more alike around. how rare would a flower be to one?"
" princess , every flower is unique. each petal on the flower is different from the other. they could be from the same stalk but each bloom differently."
"yes indeed . u might like one but not like the other isn't it?" chun slided her fingers on the flower petals to feel the smoothness of the flower.
"Ying, send someone to bring some flowers to emperor dowager to thank her for kindness and boil some bird nest for mother. i worried her too much"

Maid Ying bowed and left chun by herself at the pond. Chun watches as the fish swims among their kind. Just as she was looking a light reflection cast onto the waters, the reflection was familar. The warmth of his face , the gaze in his eyes , Chun had no doubt who she saw. Chun turned around to confirm her thoughts only to see no one behind her. Chun felt a mixture of feelings swirled inside her. Sadness for she could not see him yet relieved for she might not be able to handle his presence.

Chun got off and walked to the pavillion for a shade and enjoy the quietness she so rarely had. She was so used to his presence that she never noticed the imperial garden was so lovely and green with each plant gardened to such perfection. No wonder people dream and talk so much about the imperial grounds, it was not only the wealth of being a royal but the the rare treat to the lovely wonders.

"THE EMPEROR HAS ARRIVED!" the servant announced. Chun jumped at the sudden appearance. He is here.

"greetings brother huang" she said and bowed keeping her eyes to the ground.
"Sister Chun! when i heard news of you recovering i had to come see you! You look so much better! " Ming sighed after finishing his sentence.
"Brother huang ? Why the sigh? Have i made you unhappy?"
"oh no... not you. i am glad you are back up! i needed to confide to someone so badly. my wedding is coming and i could barely love my wife to be. sister chun what should i do?"
the sentence came out like an arrow to her heart and she tried to hide her emotions. She pulled herself together and helped her brother out.

She walked to the tree and started climbing .
"sister chun! what are you doing? You just recovered!"
"Come up brother huang!"
He followed.
"Brother huang. have you seen the beauty of this place before?"
"no. come to think of it . i never notice our garden before."
"me too until today. Sometimes you may not notice its beauty but after sometime you will.. just like empress . you may not know where her beauty lies but you will find out soon. Dont worry"
Ming looked at chun and squeezed her hand and thanked her for her words
" i never thought of it in that light. sister Chun you are always so sensible. "

Time stood still as they sat on the tree , joking and talking like how it was. From the beginning again, Chun was determined to move on.


Months went by , the sun set and rise again. Today a huge celebration was held for the marriage of the emperor and princess Ning the daughter of official Ching. The celebration was filled with guest from all over the countries. The hall roared with laughters and clicking of wine glass.
"To the newly weds!" A man shouted from the crowd and the crowd raised their glasses in unison.
Ming and Ning smiled to their guests and exchanged nuptial wine. The crowd cheered again and the music started to play.

Chun sat quietly at her table just as she was about to leave , Concubine Ling called out to her daughter.
"Chun er! over here. come my child!"
Chun turned and saw her mother happily waving her over . Just as she walked closer she noticed her mother was standing next to a tall dark man.
"Chun er. This is prince qi from central plains. Prince Qi this is my daughter Princess Chun"
"Ah just as what everyone describes. Princesses are as pretty as the flowers that bloom here"
"It is my pleasure to meet you Prince Qi" Chun said as she greeted the foreign guest.
For the night Chun spent her time talking to Prince Qi while Ming spent his night looking at Chun and the prince.

Not long after the day of celebration, Prince Qi visited the imperial palace again.This time he went to look for Concubine Ling for Chun's hand in marriage. Naturally Concubine Ling was overjoyed and told Prince Qi she will inform her daughter. Concubine Ling went to share with emperor dowager on the news however emperor dowager felt a frown form across her face.
"it is entirely her wishes, marriage between 2 states would be good for china however Princess Chun has to be willing"

Emperor Dowager thought over her sentence and knew Chun is sensible to know what to do.

"i will marry Prince Qi"Chun said in front of her mother , emperor dowager and ming.
" Prince Qi is a nice man and marrying him is a honour for me "

Chun said it with such determination that no one doubted her choice, except for two. Chun walked out of the room to reflect on her choice but was stopped by Ming.

"Sister Chun." Ming carried a tint of sadness in his voice and chun saw the sadness filling his eyes.
"Are you sure you wanna marry to the central plains? Away from all of us?"
"Brother Huang . You are married and you know the importance of our marriage to our country."
"this is not you talking ! you know you dont love him!"
"What is love brother Huang? Do us royal have a choice of love? Even when you married the Empress you didn't love her but you grew to see her beauty just like how i would see his."
"But you have a choice! you could marry so many other prince why all the way to the far plains ! Sister chun. Why!"
"Because there are things i want to leave here and not remember. Living here would only bring more pain to myself. Prince Qi love me and i know he will take good care of me . Is that so hard for you to understand?"
"but." ming could barely formed his words. Chun held back her tears , bowed and left .

Chun walked as fast as she could to her room and cried out loud under her sheets.