Ming Lihua huffed angrily, watching her prince charming wave at the top of his majestic stallion, the seat behind him empty.

The Crown Princess did not attend the festivities, nor did Prince Zhao Lei. Although the frigid ice of the Crown Prince’s eyes froze Lihua to her core, her jealousy ran deeper, a dark crimson of fire blazing through her veins, thus melting the warning looks she had been getting.

It was not fair. Feng Mian never wanted to be princess, yet there she was in the Crown Prince’s quarters, blossoming in her beauty and basking in her wealth. She had never been thrown from man to man for their pleasure. She had never suffered at the hands of abusive families for their egos. She had never felt the immense loneliness that Lihua had.

How the Crown Prince followed his princess like a lost dog, she had no idea. After all those months of war, he never consummated their relationship, barely ever kissing Ming Lihua. She tried to seduce him to her bed, yet failed to no avail. Lihua could not match the Crown Princess, and the thought killed her.

Perhaps, she thought, glancing at the palace, it is time to test their love, to see whether Zhao Ju really loves his Crown Princess or if she is a pawn like I am in his sick game.

That night, Lihua planned the perfect strife to a lovesick man’s heart, using her own venom to poison his roots and growing the deadly flowers of insecurity. All men had theirs, and Lihua already knew Zhao Ju’s trembling fear. All she had to do was set the chess board and its pieces.

* * * *

The following day, Prince Zhao Lei had gotten a mysterious letter to meet in servants’ hall. There was an emergency that needed regulation by one of the princes, and given the finalizing of war by his elder brother, Lei was the only one left to carry on his royal duties.

He sighed, mumbling under his breath as his evergreen robes flew with every sharp turn he made, flaring around him like the gust of spring leaves whirling through the sanguine air like a gentle kiss against time. Lei had no time to style his hair today, but he tied the silky strands behind his back, letting it dangle in a way that was similar to his brother’s.

Many thought the two princes looked very similar, however, Ju’s lips never curled into a pleasant smile while Lei’s never found the darkness in frowns. Two contrasting personalities often led to disputes within the royal courts, but Lei could care less.

He had a consort waiting in his room, and this letter had disrupted his playtime.

A loud yelp echoed off the walls, and immediately Lei ran to the source. After turning the last corner into the dismal rooms of royal servants, he saw the Crown Princess in a heap of dirty water and mud.

“Mian!” he exclaimed, rushing to his sister-in-law’s side to help her up. “What happened?”

She winced. “A small accident.”

“If you call that small then I would gracefully ask you to reevaluate your level of accidents,” scoffed Lei, offering his arm for her to hold. “We need to clean you up.”

Her pearly white gown emulated the deep depths of jewels that laid hidden under the rocks of the ocean, and it had been stained with muck of mossy substances, inorganic and organic. Dark spots smeared across the halo of innocence of her gown and marked her with impurities, a very unfitting sight for a princess of high esteem. Luckily the Emperor and Empress were nowhere to be seen.

Although her body had been stained in filth, her shining brown eyes never lost their glory nor did they lose the spark of hope. Mian’s lips pursued, red tint bleeding through the crease and cheeks blushing a deep rose.

He could not deny the beauty of China even if he wanted to. The people adored her, and his brother would soon be smitten with his princess.

“Lei, it is fine,” she exhaled deeply, smoothing the creases of her gown. “I only slipped. There is no serious injury.”

“Move your ankle.”

She listened, flexing the tense joint until a throbbing pain erupted throughout her leg. Her eyes widened, and Mian bit her lip to hold back her cry from the striking ache.

Lei stared at her knowingly, wrapping his arm around her waist for extra support. “You hurt your ankle,” he stated. “Servants! Call the imperial doctor!”

“No, Lei. I am fine.”

“Servants!” yelled Lei again. “Quickly or else the swelling might get worse!”

The servants scrambled through their halls, a jumble of voices yelling at one another in search for their heroic doctor that could cure any disease or ailment with a touch of his fingertips. Meanwhile, Lei led the Crown Princess to an awaiting bench, propping the injured ankle on top of the metal. He crouched before her.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

Mian attempted to rise. “This is all very unnecessary-” she tried.

“Calm down, princess,” he said with a gentle smile. “We need to make sure our jewel of China is untouched from worldly pain. You are also in no state to argue.”

She ignored him, swinging her legs off the bench, and sitting upright. The small movement electrified her joints, churning in discomfort and screaming at her to stop, yet Mian continued. Using all her force, she gripped the handle and pushed herself to stand on her feet, but instead of the flawless attempt of victory, she came crashing from her clouds of glory.

Lei effortlessly caught her in one arm, holding Mian tightly to his chest as if she were the most precious woman on earth, and the two froze, staring into each other's eyes of warmth as kindness sparkled within their gazes.

He reminded her so much of Ju, yet he seemed so different. Mian was at loss for words.

A throat cleared behind them, and the two turned completely in shock and disbelief at the fury that enlisted itself among the cold prince’s eyes, a serpent’s hiss escaping his lips. Ju was enraged by the sight before him, and Lihua was not far behind, smiling behind her hands.

“What is the meaning of this?” demanded Ju.

Lihua decided to cut in. “How shameful, your highnesses. The Crown Princess is already flirting with the brother of her husband. Truly preposterous,” she snidely remarked.

“Silence!” growled Ju.

Her lips were sewn shut, eyes wide.

With eyes smoldering Mian with molten metal, she averted her gaze from her husband and his lover, his concubine Ming Lihua. Although she had been caught in a compromising position with the younger prince, Main did not feel the need to justify her situation.

Her husband abandoned her on their wedding night, tried to force her, and then left when things did not go his way. He caged her in the palace, and he expected her wings to be broken.

She was a fallen dove with the reputation of a prestigious queen.

“Silent already, Crown Princess?” sneered Ju in distaste.

Mian clenched her fist.

“And you,” he said, storming to towards his brother, “why are you still holding my wife?”

“Brother, she is hurt.”

“Then call me! Tell me that she has been injured. Tell me when she needs me. Do not hide her away from her own husband,” said Ju with a prominent frown painting his lips.

Mian snapped, unable to listen to his tone of false affection. He did not care for her. He did not love her, nor did he cherish her. Mian was robbed of a normal life, a content style of perfunctory tasks.

Instead, she was thrusted into royalty with expectations and responsibilities looming over her like hawks of elders observing her every word. Her patience wore thin, blade snipping at her ticking mood until the fury pulsed through her veins.

“What right do you have to say that to me?” she harshly questioned as Lei helped her settle onto the bench. He quickly stepped away from her, but Mian’s eyes narrowed at Ju, angered by his presence. “Lei helped me. He did nothing else. Unlike you, Lei did not abandon me for another woman when I needed him.”

Ju heard enough. “Fine,” he strained. “You want me to leave you alone? Then so be it. You have your freedom, Princess.”

Mian turned her cheek, huffing in irritation.

“Lihua, come,” commanded Ju as he began walking away from the woman with a stone heart, his consort close behind.

Deep down, he could not blame her. He hated to admit his faults, but his wife did not lie. Ju abandoned Mian on their wedding night. He left without a proper farewell. He took a consort. He left a dove in a pack of wolves, forcing her to fend for herself against the royal court. Ju deserved her silence.

It was his punishment.

Yet the image of Lei holding his wife and staring into her eyes as if she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen boiled Ju’s blood until his vision perplexed him with dark, sinister thoughts. His veins popped through his pale skin, vines of blue and green violently coursing with a malicious intent.

Why, Mian? Why did you return his affectionate gaze?
   
* * * *

Ju paced through his study, unable to study the new military strategies when all he could remember was his brother’s hands on Mian’s small waist. Every time he shook the thought, it came running back with increased fervor until rage blinded him. Sweat dripped from his brow.

The heat, the memory, the fury still boiled his body like rays of a summer roast. His cup of ink and blank papers sat idly on his desk, awaiting his expertise, yet his mind was far from war. There was nothing on his mind except Mian.

Oh, how he wished he could turn back time. How he wished that he could hold her once more and reverse the damage of the past.

He tried to be intimate with Lihua, but failed once more. One heated kiss and his lips burned with disgust. One heated kiss and Ju was out the door, heart as cold as the glaciers of the north and soul as unaffected as the spirits of his ancestors.

Knock Knock.

“Enter.”

Prince Zhao Lei timidly closed the door behind him, biting his lower lip at the glare from Ju.

He swallowed slowly, wondering if speaking to his brother would truly end in disaster or if it would open Ju’s eyes to his indecency towards his wife. Granted, Lei fancied too many women to be considered a credible source, but Mian was different from his women.

His Crown Princess held power in the palm of her hand while love resonated throughout the empire due to her resolutions. She was well on her path to becoming the greatest Empress China ever encountered.

“Why do you bother me with your presence?” asked Ju coldly.

Lei straightened. “I wanted to talk about Mian.”

“I am busy.”

“Too busy for your wife?” countered Lei with raised brows. “We both know that you lie about matters of the heart.”

His jaw clenched, not liking the underlying disrespect in Lei’s tone. “And if I am? I am the Crown Prince of China. My decisions are the best for our people.”

“You are as human as a commoner. Divine Right does not change your mortal status.”

“Are you questioning my authority?” snapped Ju.

Lei shook his head, raising his hands in surrender. “I am merely suggesting that you allow me the opportunity to advise you.”

Sighing, Ju knew that no amount of fight would deter his younger brother away from his noble cause. He walked around his desk, settling himself in the wooden chair that creaked with his swift movement. Brushing the long strands of black hair away from his forehead, metallic eyes stared back at the young prince.

“Proceed,” he commanded.

Lei strided forward until he was in front of Ju’s desk. “May I speak the truth that poisons my heart or will I hide under falsehood?”

“The truth, Lei.”

He inhaled a sharp breath, silently encouraging himself. “You fear the love you feel for your wife. You fear the loss of a woman who holds your heart. You fear yourself for hurting her that night.”

Ju slammed a fist down, splinters of wood crackling under his strength. “Speak wisely!” he bellowed.

“I am!” argued Lei with fierce brown eyes. “You fear love as much as you fear losing the ones that you love. Why would your mood be spoiled by this morning’s events if you did not care for your wife?”

He stayed silent.

“You love her,” whispered Lei softly. “You love her so much that you cannot be intimate with Ming Lihua without guilt prickling your skin. You love her so much that you cannot fathom another man in her heart.”

The gentle words he spoke rang louder than bells. The fire had been extinguished while the ice caps melted into a soothing river of realization. His hands shook, fists clenching and lips trembling.

Love was a trickster, a devilish force disguised as divine in all its rights, yet he could not deny the tingling lure of attraction. Like a siren’s call, Ju had found himself trapped between Mian and all of China, his princely duties a fragment of the past.

Lei noticed his fearful silence. “China needs a strong Emperor and Empress,” he started, voice barely above a whisper. “After Father and Mother, you both will ascend the throne. How can China be prosperous in the future if their Crown Prince and Princess already have a fragile marriage?”

Ju leaned against his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “Continue.”

“Forget about Ming Lihua. Talk to your wife first, gain her forgiveness and be worthy of her affection. Only then will this internal unrest stop.”

“You have gotten wiser, younger brother.”

He shrugged. “I learn from the best.”

“I… I appreciate your words of wisdom,” said Ju, a faraway look entering his silver eyes. “Perhaps it is time to make amends with Mian.”

Ju made mistakes before the war, some worse than others, but his wife had never been a fleeting thought. She was the jewel of China, the gatekeeper of purity, and the goddess of his heart. He ran away that night in fear of rejection because ta the time, Ju did not know how to cope with his emotions in a mature manner.

This time he would not run. No, this time Ju would stand firm as a glorious soldier. He would renew his wedding vows to his wife. This time, Ju would cherish Mian.

* * * *

Mian strolled through the gardens, wincing when she applied too much pressure on her injured ankle. Regardless, she could not keep still after yesterday’s incident.

Dressed in her silk gown that resembled the frost on a winter day, her long hair had been decorated with white flowers of intoxicating scent. Her lips painted a blood red, emulating her classic style where people drew into her through the tint of seduction.

Her gown trailed behind her like the flock of feathers. The dignified cool undertones of white and blue mixed together, creating the illusion of a princess of nobility. Mian may have won the people’s hearts, but she would always remember her family’s background. She was the daughter of a general.

She frowned. Royal law prevented her from seeing her family whenever she wished. Due to Ju’s call to action the night after their wedding, they did not visit her parents’ home like customs told them. Instead, she was locked away, hidden form the public eye while her husband fought to death.

He never wrote to her.

And the worry consumed Mian till the unknown swallowed her person without a second thought.

In that dark time, Mian rose on her own, keeping her visage as blank as the Crown Prince’s. In the royal courts, any sign of emotions showed weakness, and the members would eat royalty alive if they dared to show their personal calamities.

Soft footsteps sounded behind her.

Mian tensed, turning around abruptly to face the intruder. She told the servants to leave her for an hour while she collected her thoughts. Raspy and crude voices always followed her throughout the day. Just once, Mian wanted the bliss of silence, of nature, of her own thoughts.

When she turned, Mian gasped at the sight of the Crown Prince. He tilted his head at her, silver eyes reprimanding her thoughts into a stunning quiet because Ju demanded her attention with his mere presence. He was a prince that none should ever cross paths with if they wanted to live.

Her previous anger rushed back. “Why are you here?” she asked with a hint of irritation.

“For you.”

Mian was taken aback, not expecting that response from him. “Ju, please,” she begged, “do not play games with me.”

“I swear to you that I am not,” he said, honesty lacing his cold eyes.

The intensity of his stare was too much for Mian that she quickly averted her gaze. His eyes opened windows to another dimension, lured her into the glacial frost of his heart, almost begging Mian to soothe the storming snow. She wanted to be the warmth that melted all his worries away, the muse that sang the song to his soul, the equal to his rule.

Ju stepped closer and closer and closer. His steps weighed heavily against her breaths, and Mian sharply inhaled. Their noses brushed against each other, lips barely touching. His hands gripped the soft curve of her hips, pulling her towards him until she was molded against his body.

Instantly, Mian’s hands pushed at his chest. “No,” she whispered.

“Why do you deny my touch?” he asked softly. “Do you fear me?”

She nodded, looking away once more.

It was then that Ju did the unexpected, an action that was beneath royalty, a gesture that would heal the hearts of many women.

He fell to his knees, hugging her legs to him until he buried his head through the numerous folds of her dress. Mian gasped, pulling at his shoulders.

“Ju, this is indecent!” she exclaimed.

“How else can I show you my devotion? How else will my wife finally accept me?” he questioned her as his voice cracked through the overwhelming emotions. He knew how foolish he looked, but Ju did not care. “Mian, my princess, forgive me for that night. Forgive me for my folly. Forgive me for all the pain I have caused you.”

“I-I cannot.”

He glanced up at her, clutching onto Mian as if his life depended on her existence. “Why? Was I so horrible that you cannot even look into my eyes?” he asked.

She bit her lip, nerves bundling against her. “I know you were with Lihua on our wedding night,” mumbled Mian.

“What?”

“You were with Ming Lihua. You were intimate with her. You chose a consort over your wife,” Mian accused, tears brimming her eyes. “How can I forgive when I can never forget?”

“Mian,” he choked. “I was never intimate with her.”

“You had to be. You took her-”

He shook his head. “No, Mian. I admit that I tried to, but I could not betray you like that. Every time I tried, your pain-ridden beauty would come to mind. Every time I tried, I would see the hurt in your eyes. I could not go through with it.”

“You wanted to… to be with her?” asked Mian, voice timid and small. “That’s why you left that night.”

“No!” he desperately tried, clutching onto her gown. “I was foolish. I should have never left with a consort, and there is no justification for my actions. I did not come to erase my sins, but rather I came to start a new chapter with you, princess. Will you allow it?”

She stayed silent.

“If I must work for your forgiveness for the rest of my life, I will. Every day that we spent apart, all I thought about was you. My mind refused to focus on a battle when my wife sat in sorrow within my palace walls. Not a single night went by without the torturous onslaught of memories,” said Ju. “I swear on my ancestors’ graves that I speak nothing but the truth.”

Perhaps it was the panic in his eyes. Perhaps it was his kneeling stance below her. Perhaps it was fate pushing them together, but Mian’s heart softened as understanding began to dawn upon her like the rising of the morning sun. As she knelt down to be eye level with him, her heart rate quickened, breath shortening at their close proximity.

Ju curiously observed, wondering what gears were turning in her pretty little head.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing his cool touch into her own envelope of heat. He was shocked at first, but gradually felt the seeds of acceptance begin to plant into their hearts. Ju gladly returned the gesture.

The road to forgiveness littered with hardships and calamities, yet the two knew that if they wanted to do the best for their people, their families, and to themselves, they would have to reconcile their differences. Ju and Mian had to learn to love before they could learn to lead.

What they did not know was that the universe smiled down on them and the lotus flowers blossomed under their ardor.

----

When winter break is almost over and you have two college applications to finish and three packets on your desk.

I really got to get on those.

How will Ju work for Mian's forgiveness? What about Lihua?

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