CROWN PRINCE'S CONCUBINE

481 Days Without Ying Ying

The sun is shining brightly. The land of Pai Hua with spring that came earlier that year. The children of the young country are seen running here and there carrying kites that are very large in size beyond their bodies towards the Pai Hua valley to celebrate the kite festival which falls in early spring. Everyone celebrated happily. On that particular day, the Xin Hua kingdom announced to all citizens to stop their daily routine and enjoy a relaxing time celebrating this special day.

“Hey kids, don’t run too fast, you’ll fall,” said the Pai Hua city elder. Several middle-aged men and women prepared food for everyone, while the younger ones were busy making kites that they would fly together.

“This is a beautiful drawing, who made it? Said a woman lowered her body to see several large kites on the ground which were still painted with colourful paints.

Warm air flew up to the courtyard of Xin Hua palace which was also celebrating the kite festival. The bungalow that was occupied by the Crown Prince at that time looked crowded with so many choices of kites that were ready to be flown.

Several maids who were busy going back and forth preparing lunch lowered their bodies when they saw Bei Yau enter from outside.

“Guard Bei”

Bei Yau nodded.

“Where is His Majesty?” he asked.

One of the young maids lowered her head pointed to the side.

.....

“Report Guard Bei, His Majesty is enjoying tea with advisor Yi at the garden”

Bei Yau then headed in the designated direction.

“Okay, thank you”

“Yes, Guard Bei” immediately the group of maids left and excused themselves.

The wind blew gently, warmly carrying the smell of grass from the Pai Hua valley which was located behind the palace complex.

Luo Xiang sat in front of the garden with a long view ahead. Where the colourful kites already prettify the bright blue skies. Bai Ying loves kites, he definitely will join along the festival and laughed so loud like there is nothing bad ever happened in this world, like, the world in his head was only colourful kites, beautiful skies, warm wheater, laugh so loud.

In his head was only Bai Ying’s face that he could never erase from his mind. His chest ached at the thought of what had happened all this time. All the beautiful memories with that kid, there was no way he could just erase them from his head, how long would his chest hurt like this? Then, could he continue his life like this? Thinking, that things would never back to where they used to be, his Ying Ying, which had filled the cavity in his chest that was getting bigger because of his presence, and now, suddenly, it’s gone.

Luo Xiang grabbed his clothes.

The snow fell so that Bai Ying’s robe and hoddie were partially covered by snow, and even so the child was still very excited to see the cold white grains that floated down from the sky which was wholly covered with grey clouds that prevented the afternoon sun from penetrating the grounds.

“Wow, it’s so pretty.”

The Crown Prince approached from behind, wrapped his arms around Bai Ying’s waist and dropped his chin on the shoulder of the young man who was a bit surprised that someone was already behind him.

“My Ying Ying”

Bai Ying smiled, turning his body to look at the Crown Prince who looked less than excited. He raised his hand to caress the Crown Prince’s cheek, the cold palm immediately made the Crown Prince slightly surprised by his touch.

“Your Majesty, are you done?”

Luo Xiang took Bai Ying’s palm against his cheek, grabbed his other hand and rubbed the two together to make it warmer.

“It’s so cold, why did you out of the house? Also, why would my Ying Ying who has white flames let his hands turn cold like this? Look at your nose, red like a clown, your cheeks too” said the Crown Prince looking down at Bai Ying’s face from a very close distance, his big hand caressing his cheek gently, staring deep into Bai Ying’s pair of big eyes.

Bai Ying smiled, embarrassed by the Crown Prince’s gaze so close to his.

The Crown Prince pulled Bai Ying’s waist closer to him.

“My concubine is only mine, no one can take you from me, then, is it my hug enough to warm you up?” Luo Xiang whispered lifting Bai Ying’s fingers and kissing them one by one. Bai Ying couldn’t stop smiling, the Crown Prince’s sweet words always made him blush even though he had heard them hundreds or even thousands of times. His heart was beating faster and faster with a warm feeling wrapped around his body, how could he still feel cold?

“Hey, how there anyone dares to take this Servant from His Majesty? Anyone will immediately retreat, Ying has no chance to look for other option.”

Luo Xiang looked at him intently, looked at him with sharp eyes. He pinched Bai Ying’s nose in exasperation.

“Is there anyone else who can love this brat more than the Crown Prince? Who will rub your feet when you’re in pain? The one who will rub your back in the bath tub.”

Bai Ying smiled. He raised his arms around the Crown Prince’s neck, even letting his feet tiptoe.

“Yeah yeah, Ying know, in this wholes world only Your Majesty loves Ying er so much, thank you, Your Majesty”

Luo Xiang smiled. He lifted Bai Ying’s waist so the boy could hang his weight on him.

“Hehe of course my Ying Ying, thank you for coming to the palace that time”

“Hehe, Your Majesty didn’t forget, right? I didn’t come because of my own wish, it was all because of my parents who were very ignorant, heh, really miss them, what, Ying will finally be able to meet them there?”

Luo Xiang let go of his embrace, seeing Bai Ying’s face for a while.

“What, Ying is going to go to them and leave this brother of yours? Ying Ying didn’t think how much big brother would also be devastated when you were gone? Do my Ying really has no feelings at all?”

Bai Ying saw Luo Xiang’s pair of eyes staring at him deeply. He didn’t want to leave, he didn’t want to, in the slightest, but as Elder Yi said, as all the elements drew near, the King of Realms would disappear from this world, and, Ying did sense, that something in his body was trying to force its way out, and also the pain in his chest, like what he used to always experience before he awakened the bloodstone in his body, maybe it is true, if he were about to disappear from everyone he loves, did he have the power to prevent all of that from happening?

Bai Ying caressed Luo Xiang’s cheek who saw him with calm eyes, the man then pulled Bai Ying and hugged him again. Dropping his chin on the shoulder of the youth whose body was much smaller than his. It was so easy to hug the thin young man with his big hands.

“Ying Ying, promise me, swear to me, even if you have seen the light, don’t ever move your feet there, big brother will wait for you to come back no matter how hard it is, don’t even think about leaving me, my sweet child,” said Luo Xiang stroking Bai Ying’s hair gently.

Bai Ying couldn’t move, the Crown Prince’s embrace was so tight it even seemed to lift his feet off the ground.

“Your Majesty”

“Brother won’t let you go, big brother is willing to sacrifice anything so Ying Ying wont go, how can.. brother live this life without Ying Ying? Just thinking about it is making it hard for me to breathe, everything, it’s so hard, Ying Ying has to promise me.”

“Your Highness”

Clekk.

The sound of the teacup being placed on the saucer broke Luo Xiang’s reverie. He turned to see the silver-haired man who had been sitting with him in front of the garden.

Slowly, the Crown Prince lifted his teacup and blew on it before taking a small sip.

“Fhuh”

Elder Yi sat not far beside the Crown Prince.

“Today’s air is quite beautiful, the sun shines bright again and the balance of nature is back in its place, it’s a shame, the rotten boy can’t enjoy it with us”

The Crown Prince could only hold his breath, turning his head when he saw Bei Yau enter from inside.

“Sincerely Your Majesty, His Majesty the Emperor has just sent a letter to His Majesty” said Bei Yau lowering his head and handing a brown envelope with palace seals with his both hands.

Luo Xiang looked at Bei Yau. Then took the letter from his hand.

“What else the old man want?”

Elder Yi and Bei Yau looked at each other. The silver haired man raised his eyebrows asking what was in the letter, but of course, Bei Yau shook his head slowly, he didn’t know because it was a personal letter from the Emperor to the Crown Prince himself.

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