The Abandoned Bride

Chapter 16

"Here we are" I say and point to the garden just ahead. We walk in together and I find a bench to sit on while Changwei wanders around the garden.

"Oh Danni, have you been waiting long for me?" Prince Sun Ying says coming into the garden from the side entrance, almost running.

"Oh no, not long" I say and smile at him.

"Oh who is this?" He stops smiling as soon as he sees Changwei.

"Prince Sun Ying it is good to see you again, I understand that you have met my wife" Changwei says stiffly.

"Oh you are married to General Song, I am so sad for you" He says teasingly and I try to stop a laugh.

"So you two know each other?" I ask.

"Yes we have been on the battlefield together, but your husband is really hard to work with" He says and Changwei doesn't say anything.

"I have brought you your book" He says handing me the latest book.

"I am excited to read it, thank you Prince Sun Ying" I say and bow my head.

"I am just happy to have met a friend" He says and smiles at me.

"Alright, we should leave Prince Sun Ying and go now, Danni!" Changwei says abruptly.

"She can just stay with me if you need to go, General?" He says with a strained smile.

"That is inappropriate, she is a married woman and she is not feeling well she needs to go and rest. I need to go for my treatments now Danni" He says in a firm tone and then touches my shoulder.

"Alright General, we can go, thank you Prince Sun Ying. I will return the book to you when I finish" I say and Changwei ushers me up and out of the garden. I am so happy to read the new book, I am not even bothered by what happened.

"Do books make you that happy?" Changwei asks after a while.

"This isn't just any book, it is my favorite series that is hard to get" I explain.

"I could get it for you if you wanted it" He says.

"Well you don't have to" I say, not really paying attention and staring at the book until I feel someone pull me sideways and I end up in Changwei's arms.

"Even if you are that happy, you should at least look where you are going" Changwei says as I look up at him seeing his arms around me and I realize I was going to walk into a post. He lets go of me and I apologize for not looking where I am going while my face turns many shades of red.

"I need to go this way to go to the physicians, will you be alright getting back alone?" He asks and I tell him I will be fine. He then leaves me and I start walking back to our place. I almost make it back when I meet a beautiful young woman walking and I bow my head to her unsure of what I should do.

"Who are you?" she stops and asks me.

"I am just a visitor here," I explain.

"What a coincidence, I am too! I was just feeling lonely. Could you spare some time for me?" She asks.

"My husband really wants me to go back to our quarters right now" I explain as no one knows where I am right now.

"Well I can come to yours then for a visit?" She asks and I agree, it would be nice to have a female friend for the time being. She links her arm through mine as we walk back to the house and Mimi gets some snacks and tea for us.

"So why are you here?" I ask.

"Oh I am just visiting, I am a distant relative of the royal family. My name is Juli, why are you here?"