“How do we go about contacting Yue?” Lian Bai asked with a troubled expression as she served Fei Xiang tea. Neither of them could actually contact Yue about what was going to happen in Italy. It would never reach him because of their binding fates.

“I’m not going to contact him.” Fei Xiang said took a sip of his tea before beginning to write a letter in Russian.

“Russian? Who are you writing to?” Lian Bai asked

“Black tortoise. She should be in contact with Yue, she can also help out in general.” Fei Xiang explained.

“You’re on close terms with her?” Lian Bai asked, surprised.

“Not close per se, we just know each other well, that is all.” Fei Xiang murmured.

-

“Azure Dragon’s kid? What are ya doing on my mountain?” A 10-year-old girl asked as she sat on a tree near, looking down at a younger Fei Xiang. They were at the foot of a mountain near the borders of China and Russia.

“...Black tortoise.” Fei Xiang said and greeted her politely. It was a bit humiliating to bow to a little girl when he was already well over 20 but he did so anyway to save face and as to not bring shame to his father.

“Yeah, yeah, why are you here?” Elena asked, she wore a cropped white fur coat over a black turtleneck but the warm clothes went to waste as she had on a pair of men’s shorts instead of full-length pants. Her black hair was down but partially covered by the hood of her coat.

“My father asks for you to stop terrorizing the people here. “ Fei Xiang murmured and bowed to her once more.

“If they can’t handle the consequences tell ‘em to stop trying to cross over! One of my temples is over here!” Elena whined.

“He knows, but he’d like you to at least stop killing them. The locals are thinking of trying to send the army up there.” Fei Xiang explained, truthfully he understood her point of view but his father would prefer to not have more people running up there and getting killed, especially when there were only a few days until the yearly meeting of the 4.

“Who cares?” Elena deadpanned, she definitely didn’t mind killing more people.

“...I’m saying this out of my own free will, please don’t associate the following words to my father…” Fei Xiang started, his gaze darkening, he didn’t have much patience for children.

“I will destroy this mountain if you don’t stop.”

Elena stared at him for a second before beginning to giggle. She jumped down from the tree she sat in and stood in front of Fei Xiang.

“That’s actually the perfect solution y’know?” Elena said and grinned before extending her hand out toward the mountain.

“...”

“My father will scold me for this…” Fei Xiang murmured.

“Why? It’s not like anyone died?” Elena said with a smirk and tilted her head.

“Because...This isn’t the solution he would’ve preferred.” Fei Xiang murmured.

The mountain was completely leveled. A mountain that would’ve taken millions of years to slowly disappear was gone in seconds as if it was all eroded way. All that was left was a muddy plateau. Elena raised her hand to her ear, flamboyantly pointing her ears toward the town.

“Wow, you can hear the chaos from here…” she laughed.

“Hehehehe, See you later!”

Fei Xiang stood there alone for a while as he watched Elena jump over the Plateau and onto the Russian side of what used to be the mountain. He was preparing his explanation for what he’d say to his father.

“Sigh...Kids are a pain…” Fei Xiang Murmured and started walking back after thinking for a while.

‘Elena Alexandrovna Volkov… She’s unlike any of the other beasts and she’s unlike any of the previous Black Tortoise’s as well. I wonder why that is…’

-

Fei Xiang sighed as he wrote his letter, He knew why Elena was different from the rest now. For the same reason why Yue was nothing like the rest. They were completely unique from their other incarnations because they were the real ones. The true incarnations. It was a sad truth for someone like him whose father was a former incarnation but it was true and he had to accept it.

---

“...I don’t even know what letters you used in this…” Yue murmured and raised a paper up into the light, squinting at Viktor’s handwriting.

“Is it really that hard to read? I got great scores in school for my handwriting?” Viktor said and tilted his head.

“It looks pretty but for someone who is a beginner in Russian it all looks the same…” Yue murmured. He was sitting on Viktor’s lap at his desk and he was examining some of the papers on Viktor’s desk.

“I’ll teach you to read it, Don’t worry.” Viktor chuckled and kissed Yue’s shoulder. Yue blushed and looked around Viktor’s desk as he finished up all the paperwork he had ignored while he was taking care of him. Looking at the papers with the Belarusian seal made Yue remember that Viktor was in fact a prince and a generally very busy man.

“What are all these?” Yue asked, curious about Viktor’s work. He wanted to know how to help him, partially because of how much of his time he had already encroached on already and partially because he knew he’d need to learn about it all eventually.

“Information for all of the original citizens of Belarus. 75% of them couldn’t enter even the least affected parts of Belarus after it became ruined so even now 10 years later we’re trying to compensate and make sure they’re all accounted for and not in bad financial situations.” Viktor explained.

“...I’m very confused about where the rumor that the Ivanov family was ruthless came from…” Yue mumbled,” That seems very kind of you.”

Viktor laughed nervously and looked away, “Well they’re not wrong...We kind of took over their country so it is not necessarily kindness but rather responsibility…”

Viktor’s nervous laugh made Yue curious.

“Are you the reason for the ruthless rumors?”

“Can’t say I’m not partially responsible…” Viktor murmured, his school days were part of the reason why the ‘ruthless’ title was still stuck on the Ivanovs. Of course, that title existed long before him but he’d be lying if he said he had no part in it.

“Don’t worry, I was quite the menace when I was younger too.” Yue grinned, turning around so he was facing Viktor.

“I can imagine.” Viktor teased and tickled Yue with a grin.

“I’m not very ticklish,” Yue murmured, he still tried to lean away though. The ‘not very’ was the key detail, he didn’t want to show it but if Viktor continued it would soon become unbearable for him.

“I don’t really believe that,” Viktor mumbled, slipping his hands into Yue’s hanfu, loosening the collar as before teasing the skin of Yue’s chest, purposely trying to rile Yue up in a sexual manner.

Yue turned bright red and he quickly covered his mouth, “T-this isn’t tickling!” Yue exclaimed, trying not to make any sounds.

“You’re so sensitive, I definitely don’t believe that you aren’t ticklish.” Viktor chuckled, kissing Yue’s collarbone.

“I’m not…sensitive..” Yue murmured, moving Viktor’s face away and quickly fixing his collar. He couldn’t decide what would be more embarrassing, doing it or doing it in Viktor’s office.

“I can prove it.” Viktor grinned, his hand going to lay on Yue’s thigh.

“You’re supposed to be catching up on work!” Yue exclaimed, shivering a bit, he was very glad, that as far as he knew, Viktor didn’t know how to remove a hanfu. Otherwise, he’d definitely be deflowered in seconds and as much as he wanted that, he was definitely terrified of the thought. He was worried about disappointing Viktor or not being able to satisfy him.

Viktor wanted to keep teasing Yue but he noticed Yue’s expression and tilted his chin so he was facing him.

“Why do you look so sad?” Viktor asked with furrowed brows.

“I-I’m not sad…” Yue mumbled, trying to get rid of Viktor’s suspicions.

“Yue…” Viktor sighed and hugged him close.

“You’re sad or upset about something… Did I go too far?” Viktor asked.

“No!” Yue exclaimed, “That’s not it…”

“I don’t want to disappoint you in that way,” Yue murmured.

“You think I’m going to be disappointed in you? I think you think too highly of my ‘past experience’ in sex.” Viktor chuckled and kissed all over Yue’s face. He was tempted to tell him he’d only ever done it with one person before but he was worried that Yue would reach the correct conclusion on who it was.

“I love you so much, you could never disappoint me. Especially not when you can rile me up so easily. Just calling me “Vitya” is enough to satisfy me, or rather to make me go until I’m satisfied.” Viktor smirked and kissed Yue with an open-mouthed kiss.

Yue wanted to call him a pervert but their kiss didn’t allow him to. The paperwork that Yue had been so adamant about just minutes ago was once again forgotten. This time in favor of making out.

Yue completely forgot about his embarrassment about doing it in the office, and completely fell into the kiss, kissing back and curling his fingers in Viktor’s hair.

“Young master, Sir Cott is here to see you,” Anya said and knocked on the door.

Yue jumped as he heard her voice and he almost fell off Viktor’s lap but Viktor caught him.

“Bring him to the lounge. I’ll be out there soon.” Viktor called and sighed.

“I’ll eat you up one of these days,” Viktor said and kissed Yue’s neck before lifting Yue off his lap and sitting him down on the chair as he gets out of the chair.

“Soon I hope…” Yue whispered under his breath.

“I hope so too,” Viktor called out with a wide grin as he- made himself presentable near the door to the room.

“You weren’t supposed to hear that!” Yue exclaimed and flushed bright red.

Viktor just laughed as he left.

--

“I-It’s an honor to work for you, your highness!” Sir Cott said and immediately bowed as Viktor entered the room. He was a jeweler that Viktor and Elena had both scouted out.

“Please be quieter, she isn’t too far away from this room,” Viktor said as he sat down in a seat in front of Sir Cott.

“Ah yes, My apologies… I have brought some samples of what we currently have--”

“I’m not going to give her just any old ring you have a sample of, If I wanted to do that I would’ve just used a family heirloom,” Viktor said and raised an eyebrow.

“T-They’re just g-gem samples for what we have…” Sir Cott said and shakily set the samples in front of Viktor.

‘He’s so serious about this…’ Anya thought to herself and suppressed a giggle.

‘And his lover has no clue what is even going on…’

“Either a standard diamond or a gem that is blue, green, or yellow. The rest of the colors are off the table. And as for the band, I personally prefer silver but both silver and gold suit her.” Viktor explained going through all the specifications for what would be Yue’s engagement ring.

‘I-I didn’t think he’d be so particular! I guess it really isn’t an arranged marriage!’ Sir Cott thought and gulped a little as he tried to write everything Viktor said down.

“I-It will be done by the end of march… A-As for the other jewelry, I have made some in advance after hearing of her, I’m afraid some of them are the wrong colors though…” Sir Cott said and wiped his sweat.

“Show them to me,” Viktor said, curious.

Earrings, necklaces, and hair accessories were then laid out in front of him, they were surprisingly mostly within the colors that Viktor had decided on for the rings but there were a few violet pieces. Viktor stared at them for a while and Sir Cott was beginning to think that he offended Viktor by even showing them to him.

“...Yue would look good in this color don’t you think, Anya?” Viktor asked, lifting a violet necklace up into the light.

“Of course, The young miss looks beautiful in everything,” Anya said and grinned.

Sir Cott looked at them with great curiosity. He had only heard of the Prince of Belarus’ suitress from rumors that spread when he was visiting a client in Russia and the rumors seemed to be exaggerating on her beauty but seeing as the introverted Prince was so infatuated with her made the rumors seem credible. He wanted to see what his lover looked like and he wanted to go tell the world about it. He was however now sworn to secrecy by the family so even if he did see her face he would be unable to describe her to others, The many eyes of the Ivanov family were always going to be watching him from now, waiting for him to make a mistake.