While they waited for Péi to return, Jié Qiáng moved the small nearby table to rest in front of himself and Mîn Jíng. He sat next to her at an angle and took her hand again to kiss and hold close.  

 Féng Wěi grabbed Yǒng Wěi’s arm as he tried to stand, certain his brother was about to object to such familiar affection toward their little sister. In a low voice, he explained all that had transpired before Yǒng Wěi’s arrival at the prison.

 “Why did she never tell me?” Yǒng Wěi asked quietly, not wanting to create an argument with his sister at that moment. “She tells me everything.”

 Féng Wěi shrugged and gave him his best guess as he continued to watch Jié Qiáng’s outward adoration of his sister. As a brother, he didn’t like any man being so affectionate with her. However, he wouldn’t dare object considering the events of that morning had been heading into an entirely different, disastrous direction.

 “Afraid of disappointing you,” Féng Wěi offered as the most logical explanation. “I think something more happened between them than our considerate sister guiding a tourist.”

 “You mean…” Yǒng Wěi’s eyes widened as he thought of what his brother could be suggesting, and he started to stand again to fight for his sister’s honor.

 Féng Wěi pulled him back down and replied, “Do you think our sister would be so vulgar? I mean that they grew closer than a simple meeting between strangers. She told him her fairy tale. Obviously, they developed a close relationship. Don’t press the issue,” he cautioned. “They’re getting married. Let it be.”

 Yǒng Wěi turned to watch Péi enter with a tray of writing supplies. Although they were three years apart, everyone thought of he and his younger sister as twins. He was always her confidant, but this was something she felt even he couldn’t know.

 Mîn Jíng smiled happily as the paper was laid out on the table. Yǒng Wěi knew he couldn’t ruin this moment for her by fighting with the man she evidently loved. He would allow her this one secret without questioning further, but if he ever found out her husband harmed her, he would spill his blood at the gates of the enemy kingdom.

 “How should we begin?” Mîn Jíng asked Jié Qiáng as he set up the ink stone and ink.

 “I’ll write my oath to you first,” he answered.

 He was grateful Péi had already stirred an ink stick, allowing them to begin right away.

 Mîn Jíng watched as he dipped the brush into the onyx colored ink and began to write the title of the document: 

“Prince Zhāng Jié Qiáng’s Marriage Oath To Princess Yīng Mîn Jíng”

 As the calligraphy appeared from top to bottom on the right side of the mulberry bark paper, Mîn Jíng smiled at the words. She watched him form the letters while considering how differently the day had turned after such a heartbreaking morning.

 She wiped away fresh tears with one of her flowing sleeves embroidered with flowers and birds. Unlike earlier, these were tears of joy. He had come for her just like he promised. This strange man in her butterfly mask somehow stole her heart in just one night, even before his kiss. He had possessed her dreams at times she needed to forget the nightmares as if his spirit sensed she needed him.

 She could barely explain any of the coincidences leading up to their meeting and now pairing them in marriage. No one could understand this powerful magic that could only be described as Fate, nor would she try to explain. It was enough that she was blessed in this lifetime with the love of her life.

 Jié Qiáng moved the brush to the top of the page and looked at her in anticipation. The love reflected in her eyes made him smile wider and take her hand into his.

 “What is your first wish, my little crane?” he asked with the brush held ready.

 Mîn Jíng bit her lip as she pondered the answer. She already knew what she needed most for their marriage, but she wasn’t sure of his reaction. Her father had refused to add it to the agreement, stating that it was an unrealistic request of a prince and could anger King Zhāng for being pretentious.

 Jié Qiáng kissed the back of her hand when he saw her hesitation and prodded, “You can say anything that’s on your mind. I won’t be angry or offended.”

 “No concubines,” she exclaimed and stared at him in wait for his reaction.

 When he laughed out loud, she wasn’t sure how to react. Was he mocking her?

 Yáng Ning laughed, as well, when he thought of the conversation on their journey over. Her brothers looked at each other worriedly, remembering her opinion on concubines and how vocal she was at expressing it.

 Jié Qiáng couldn’t resist laughing at her jealousy. He had wondered if she was going to say it sooner or later, but he expected her to be bashful or even afraid to suggest what other royal women would never dare say.

 He was still somewhat laughing as he wrote the words:

“There will be no concubines. No brothels or any such women. My wife will be the only woman in my palace and in my bed.”

 When he was done, he turned to her with a smile still on his face. “What’s your next wish?”

 Mîn Jíng gave him a skeptical glare and asked, “Are you being sincere?”

 Jié Qiáng looked over at Yáng Ning for assistance in convincing her of his sincerity.

 “You’ve been the only girl he’s thought about since the festival,” Yáng Ning revealed. “He called off an important marriage agreement for you and even intended for this marriage to be nothing more than a necessary alliance. He built a separate manor of rooms for his wife so he wouldn’t have to associate with her because you were the only woman he would allow near him.

 He’s been this way for two years, your highness. Believe me when I say he’s absolutely sincere.”

 Mîn Jíng looked from Yáng Ning to her brothers for their reaction. Féng Wěi gave her a smile of encouragement, adding this to his list. Yǒng Wěi only picked at his fingernails with his knife in an expression of how unimpressed he was at the effort. Mîn Jíng chose to ignore him, understanding it would take some time for him to let her go.

 She turned back to Jié Qiáng as she decided to accept his words and that of his guard. If true, he really did love her a great deal.

 “Next,” Jié Qiáng urged.

 “I can bring Xiù Xiù and no one will harm her,” she replied.

 He nodded and wrote: 

“My wife’s cherished pet rabbit Xiù Xiù is allowed anywhere in the palace her mistress goes. Anyone who brings harm to Xiù Xiù will be suitably punished.”

 He patted the rabbit on the side as he said, “Third wish.”

 Mîn Jíng breathed in deeply and sighed with relief as they became closer with each addition to his contract. “You will escort me to every festival in your kingdom.”

  Jié Qiáng smiled mischievously as he wrote the third item:

“I will escort my wife to all kingdom festivals and wear the black butterfly mask to each.”

 Mîn Jíng laughed and thought about the next wish. She thought of what she could want in this new kingdom, how she could feel as free as she did at home. She wondered if he would truly respect her as he did the night they met.

 “My brother told you I’m a healer,” she carefully began. When he nodded his acknowledgment of Féng Wěi’s earlier disclosure, she continued. “This is an important part of who I am. At the Daoist school, I learned many things from spiritualism, art, philosophy, history, science, and math. Everything became who I am.

 I returned home the year before my mother died. While she was still with us, she encouraged me to follow those teachings and skills I learned and loved. My father tried to respect her wishes to allow me this freedom, though he had to be strict with me at times for my own well-being.

 My wish is for you to allow me to be who I am and not force me to hide myself and pretend I’m anything else.”

 Jié Qiáng heard her tone drift from lighthearted to serious and listened attentively to her request. He understood the reason for her guarded demeanor. She was loyal but not submissive, considerate but not weak-willed. As gentle as she was that night, there was a wild spirit beneath the surface. This was the girl he fell in love with. He wouldn’t do anything to change her.

 Mîn Jíng wasn’t alone in watching him carefully. Her brothers and even their servants waited to see if he would agree to allow her the freedom she needed to be the loving girl everyone knew her to be.

 With a nod, he began writing:

“My adorable wife is free to express her brilliant mind, gentle heart, and indomitable spirit in any way she desires without threat of punishment by me or anyone else. I will defend her right to do so for all of my days.”

 He looked at her again and winked.

 “Any more wishes?” he asked with the brush ready.

 Mîn Jíng brushed away tears and tried not to cry anymore. It all seemed like a beautiful dream. All she had left was one more request she had saved for last. This was no ordinary wish. It would answer her brothers’ biggest concern as well as hers.

 With a sniff and deep breath of encouragement, she asked, “Please never treat me like a hostage. Never allow anyone to hurt me because of who I am.”

 When she started crying, he set down the brush and pulled her into his arms. He never imagined she might have considered she would be treated as such, though it made sense. Many kingdoms sent sons and daughters as hostages to maintain peace in unstable alliances. His father hadn’t insinuated it, and Jié Qiáng never would have allowed it.

 He rested her head against his chest and patted her back to calm her.

 “I will never allow anyone to hurt you,” he said firmly. “If anyone refers to you as a hostage or makes you feel like you are anything less than my beloved wife, they will suffer. I swear this to you, your brothers, and your father.”

 He kissed the top of her head and held his lips against her soft hair for several moments before pulling away to look into her eyes.

 “Do you understand?” he asked.

 She looked up at him as he held her face in the palm of his hand. Her tears were still falling as she nodded in reply.

 No longer worrying how her brothers would react, he bent his head to give her a tender kiss. All of the feelings from their first kiss came rushing back, and they held each other tightly.

 Féng Wěi looked over at Yǒng Wěi in preparation to stop him from jumping up but was relieved to see him smiling. This prince had broken through a barrier Féng Wěi thought would never come down. As long as his words were, indeed, sincere, he had gained two new brothers.

 Jié Qiáng brushed away loose tendrils of hair from her tear-streaked cheeks and gave her another encouraging smile.

 “I need to write down this wish,” he said tenderly.

 He didn’t want to let her go but did so he could complete the contract. She stayed beside him, leaning against his left arm as he wrote with his right. 

“No one is allowed to harm or disrespect my dear wife or treat her as a political hostage. Anyone who dares will suffer by my hand.”

 He ended the fifth wish and looked to her to await another. Mîn Jíng wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled up at him.

 She shook her head and replied to his questioning gaze, “Those are my wishes.”

 “Hmmm…” he responded and looked at her in doubt. “No jewels or silks or gold?”

 She was about to reject such items but then quickly added, “Oh! Jade and a garden!”

 He laughed as he had expected her to ask for something expensive like jade, but then, he suspected it wasn’t simply a request for fancy things.

 “What would you do with jade and a garden?” he asked.

 “I learned about jade at school and how to carve it,” she replied. “It’s one of my favorite hobbies now. I learned a great deal about botany, horticulture, and medicine, too, and my medicinal herbs and healing ointments come from a garden I have at the palace.”

 He nodded his understanding and told her, “That would be part of your fourth wish.”

 “Oh,” she replied. “Then I have no more wishes.”

 He signed it at the end with his full title and name, then set the contract aside.  He arranged a clean sheet of paper in front of her.

 “Your turn!” he said, handing her the brush.