Wudang: Legends Of Qi Earth 133 Dad

Alex walked to the edge of his peak, it seems his favorite spot was now under this thousand year chrysanthemum tree. He could clear his head and be at peace whenever he's standing underneath it or close to it. And at a time like this he felt a little overwhelmed, after all it was his birthday and he had just finished signing the betrothal document between him and the princess. So basically in the eyes of heaven and the law they were now bound and would be married to each other in three years. Honestly it felt like he had taken up a burden but at the same time it felt like something more. 

The idea of politics aside Alex now felt responsible for the princess, responsible for her actions and her safety. Marriage should have been something sacred, a bond born out of love, but now it's become a tool for one person to control the other, a means to an end. Alex didn't want that to be his own story, he didn't want to be like the others and make their mistakes, he wanted to be better. He let out a melancholic sigh as he looked out to the clouds in front of him, as a tiny gust of wind flew past him.

"I always told you to stop frowning and sighing, it would make you age a lot more faster than usual." Alex froze, his bones felt rigid and there was chill he couldn't understand, his heart beat sped up and there was this extreme urge to just cry, he was scared to turn around.

"You always did this as a kid, you'll miss me so much when I go on my trips, but when I come back, you'll be scared to turn around thinking I'm not really back and I'm just a figment of your imagination. And every time I tell you the same thing, over again; Alex... Baba é dē (This is your father)."

Alex turned around and buried his head into that firm chest that he had called refuge for the better part of fourteen years of his life, he listened to that voice that he's not heard in 10 months, his father was here. And Alex wanted to be angry, he wanted to scream and yell and list all of the things his father had done wrong from the moment he was born till this very second, but he couldn't, all he just wanted to be right now was this man's son, and he did.

"I'm sorry I left, I'm sorry I didn't prepare you enough for this world, I thought it was best if I gave you a normal childhood for as long as possible. But you were always drawn to it anyway, should have just gotten you ready rather than shield you from it. I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about myself and your mother, or showed you just how awesome your pops can be. I'm really sorry I was such a shitty father! I'm sorry I failed you so many times. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to keep your mother in both our lives, or strong enough to swallow my pride and make sure you were raised in the best possible place with the best possible resources, and I....."

"You're apologizing too much Dad, it's annoying. Are you going to apologize for breathing air too, or for your biggest sin of me taking more of my facial structure from you than from Mom, I'm fucking ugly!" Alex muttered on his father's chest, but Ben pulled back, his black eyes piercing with an amused look on his face and a raised eyebrow.

"Excuse you young man, watch your language in front of me, and two I'm plenty attractive I snagged your mother didn't I?"

"You shouldn't listen to him Feng'er, I wasn't attracted to him, look at him? He's ugly! What I really loved were his paintings, they were so divine." Alex's mother said as she made her presence felt.

"What are you saying Mom! You big liar! You told me you liked that he wasn't ambitious that all he wanted to do was paint worlds and the magic of universe, and that he always looked so devilishly handsome when he was so focused on his paintings. On another note, UNCLE BEN!!! Out of the way Squirt!"

Alex was unceremoniously pushed aside by his sister as she wrapped her hands around his father's neck, squealing in such a manner that left Alex horrified, that sound would murder thousands of she was left to cultivate it. But still how the heck is Xiao Mei so familiar with Benjamin Alé, it was weird for Alex, like really weird.

"Ahhh little Mei-Mei had grown up! Your such a fine young woman now! What has Suiyan been feeding you?" he asked as he broke out into a wide smile that was a little too bright.

"wuwuwuw she doesn't feed me at all, you used to make those awesome Akara balls, and those fried plantains! She doesn't make them! She doesn't know how!" Xiao Mei mocked cried on Ben's shoulders, and just in time too as Anya came from behind and climbed on his back. Alex wasn't too shocked about Anya's display, she and his father had always been this close, Alex remembered his father teaching chess to an eight year old Anya while six year old him watched, then he remembered her getting angry and breaking the chess board amidst extreme tears. His father gave her a piggy back ride for the whole of three hours before she calmed down.

"No offense but can you people give me back my father!" Alex asked in annoyance, but they weren't even listening, but then again there was also a question he had to ask.

"But dad! How are you here? I mean the gate guards would have noticed you the moment you came close to the sect, plus I really didn't think you would be here for my birthday." Alex said as he looked at his feet.

"That's because he's here as my guest!" Alex turned to see Victoria and a couple of guards come out of his manor, looks like the party came outside.

"The princess looked for me, which I can tell you wasn't easy for her seeing as she did so herself. She found me poking around old Aztec temples in the Amazon and asked me to be here to witness the betrothal of the both of you, but above all to be there for my son.

Plus I had gifts that I needed to give to you anyways." Ben and Alex weren't that different from each other when it comes to character, they were cool, quiet, focused, they could be funny at times but not always, they're always serious, and they feel responsible for the people around them. Alex know even without the princess's intervention there was no way in hell his father wouldn't have tried reaching out to him for his fifteenth birthday, men of the Alé family have always live by one principle; family first.

"Well isn't that a touching story, cousin you bringing this man here to my Wudang sect is an insult to my honor, you would tender me an explanation!"

And just like that the happy mood soured as Red Dragon and Lu Wan made an appearance, Alex moved to stand in front of his father much to Ben's surprise and pride, the look in Alex's face however if looks could kill, would have buried Red Dragon a million times over.

"I'm the ninth Princess of the Empire Heaven Lu Zhou! I owe you no explanations for my actions, like I said he's here as my guest, plus since when did the Wudang sect belong to you? Take caution with your words cousin and do not embarrass me in front of my father in-law, I'm working really hard to earn his approval!" Alex couldn't help the smile that broke out on his face, Victoria would make herself seem righteous and then expose and ulterior motive in one sentence, it was all a play, yes! But Alex couldn't help but admire that trait! Schemes aside the princess was a pretty straightforward person.

"You might be the princess but you're not allowed to do anything you like wherever you go, least of all here! In the Wudang sect! Now step aside while I teach this wife stealing braggart a lesson in front of his bastard son!" so obviously Red Dragon was pretty much mad and filled with rage that he had lost all reason, in a way Alex felt like it was understandable.

He might not care much about the princess, but they were betrothed, if he found out she had kids for two men after now, it would drive him mad, but then again the scenario with his parents weren't the same. His mother was a bargaining chip, blackmail from the emperor to keep his grandfather in line. Red Dragon didn't care to build a relationship with her, so in her travels she met Xiao Mei's father, a simple terms that truly showed her there was good in the world, but Red Dragon showed up, killed the man and was going to kill an innocent baby Xiao Mei unto Zhang Sanfeng taught him a lesson he won't ever forget.

He was injured and raising her child alone, Suiyan met Alex's father, almost no cultivation talent, but had a unique power and physique that allowed him to paint the secrets of the universe, creating new arts, and according to rumors discovering new Dimensions. History would have repeated itself and maybe this time Red Dragon would have succeeded in killing both father and child if Ben hadn't left. This man was a monster, between his mother and red dragon there could be no beauty and the beast story, this was just the dragon guarding the tower of the princess, the dragon that needed to be slain.

Chapter end