The warm water and soothing lavender scent couldn't fully chase away the cold that clung to Lu Hua's bones. She was clean now, dressed in soft sleeping robes, and lying in her familiar bed.
But her mind was restless. The boy's feverish eyes, his wild words, his careful, terrifying plan-it wasn't just madness. It felt like something she knew too well, a kind of obsession that made her skin crawl. Lu Hua stared at the canopy above her bed. 'Like back then.' she thought, the memory rising like a ghost.
Cold, sterile corridors. A classmate's creepy stare. Whispered threats. The constant feeling of being watched, even in the high-tech world of 3066. A shiver ran through her body. 'Is it me?' she wondered. 'Am I cursed? Do I carry this... this magnet for obsession wherever I go?'
As if her dark thoughts had called it, the translucent mod screen blinked into view before her eyes.
QUEST COMPLETE!
Objective: Hurt Someone - SUCCESSFUL!
Debt Cleared: 400 Points
Current Points: 210
Premium Mod Access: Active
Well done, Agent.
Lu Hua let out a heavy sigh. With a thought, she dismissed the screen, closed her eyes, and tried to sink into the quiet of sleep, hoping to escape her troubled mind.
★
The servant boy groaned, pain pulling him back to consciousness. His shoulder burned where the hairpin was still lodged, wrapped in a rough bandage that did little to ease the agony. His broken nose throbbed, crusted with dried blood. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the near-total darkness. A single torch flickered far down a long stone corridor, casting weak light. The air was heavy with the stench of mildew, urine, and despair. He was in a dungeon.
Panic surged through him, but it was quickly swallowed by a rush of righteous anger. 'She stabbed me!' he thought, his heart pounding. 'After everything! After I showed her my love!'
"Why?" a voice cut through the darkness. It was calm, deep, and flat, coming from the shadows right in front of him. "Why did you drug her? Why did you take her?"
The boy yanked against his chains, making them rattle loudly. He squinted, trying to see who was speaking, but the darkness beyond the torchlight hid everything. He laughed, a wet, gurgling sound. "Why? Because we're meant to be together! Fate brought us to each other! She saw me-really saw me! When I bumped into her, she didn't scream or order me beaten like the others would have. She told me to get up! She was kind, like an angel!" His voice grew louder, filled with fierce belief. "She looked at me like I wasn't dirt! It was perfect..." His voice dropped to a whisper, then rose again, sharp with disgust. "Not like that useless man she's tied to! That cripple! What can he give her? Why should a goddess like her waste her light on a cripple? She belongs with someone who loves her, who truly understands her!"
The servant boy spat into the darkness, a mix of blood and phlegm hitting the stone floor. "He can't even stand!" he shouted, his voice raw with anger. "He can't protect her! I can! I did! Until she betrayed me!" He yanked at his chains, the metal clanking loudly, lost in his twisted story.
The shadows in front of him moved. A figure stepped forward, just beyond the torchlight's weak glow, still mostly a dark shape. Then, slowly, the figure took another step, entering the dim, flickering circle of light.
The boy's words stopped cold. His bloodshot eyes widened, bulging with shock. His jaw dropped, hanging open in complete disbelief.
Prince Zihao stood before him. Not sitting. Not in his chair. Standing. Tall, straight, his hands clasped calmly behind his back. His face, usually gentle, was hard as ice. His eyes locked on the chained boy, cold as the dungeon's stone walls. There was no sign of weakness, no hint of frailty.
"Im... impossible!" the boy choked out, his voice a strangled gasp. He pulled against the chains, fear and disbelief fighting inside him. "You... you can't...! They... they said you can't walk after the war! Liar! You're a liar!"
Prince Zihao stood perfectly still, his icy gaze fixed on the boy. He didn't flinch or react to the boy's accusations. His face remained cold, unyielding, like the stone walls around them.
"End it," Zihao said, his voice low and chilling, echoing softly in the stone dungeon. It wasn't loud, but it carried a quiet, absolute power.
Two large guards stepped out from the shadows behind Zihao. Their faces were blank, showing no emotion. They moved with purpose, pulling long, sharp daggers from their belts. Their steps were steady, their actions cold and precise.
The boy's eyes widened with terror. His twisted beliefs crumbled, replaced by raw, overwhelming fear. "No! Wait! Please!" he screamed, thrashing against the chains that held him tight. "Your Highness! Mercy! Please! I... I was wrong! I was crazy! Please! Don't! I just... I just wanted to see her! To be near her! Please! Let me see her one more time! Please! I beg you!"
His screams turned into broken sobs, words spilling out in a desperate rush. "Just let me see her! I won't touch her! Just see her! Please! Don't take that away! She's my angel! My only light! Please!"
Zihao didn't move. He didn't look at the boy or respond to his cries. His cold eyes stayed on the guards, watching them silently.
The boy's frantic pleas grew louder, reaching a wild, desperate peak. Then, with a swift sound, they stopped, leaving only heavy silence in the dungeon air.
★
Lu Hua sat sideways on Zihao's lap, her legs curled up, her head resting comfortably against his shoulder. One of his arms wrapped loosely around her waist, holding her close, while his other hand held an open scroll. He hadn't turned a page in a while.
"...and Beihe," Lu Hua mumbled, her voice soft against his silk robe. She lazily traced the embroidery on his sleeve with her finger. "Poor girl. She was shaking even after we got back. Fuquan had to practically drag her into the carriage this morning. Said she needs to see her family." She let out a dramatic sigh. "Fuquan went with her. Someone sensible had to make sure she eats and sleeps instead of hiding under her childhood blanket forever."
Zihao set the scroll down on the small table beside his wheelchair. His hand moved to her hair, gently running his fingers through the soft, clean strands. "It was a horrible experience for both of you," he said softly, his voice a low rumble near her ear. "Fuquan is right to go with her. She needs familiar places." His fingers paused for a moment, then continued their gentle motion. "And you?"
"Me?" Lu Hua lifted her head a little, looking up at his face. "I'm tougher than I look. Mostly annoyed that creepy kid ruined my favorite banquet robe. And gave me a headache that lasted until noon." She tried to sound light, but a slight tremble in her voice showed she was still uneasy.
Zihao's arm tightened around her waist, pulling her just a bit closer. "It won't happen again, Lu Hua," he said firmly, his voice leaving no room for doubt. He stared at the far wall, his eyes intense. "I won't let anyone make you feel like that. Ever again." His words were steady, a strong shield against her lingering fear.
Lu Hua looked at his face, the strong line of his jaw, the fierce focus in his usually calm eyes. A slow, warm smile spread across her lips. "Protective, huh?" she teased gently, her eyes sparkling with affection and relief.
Zihao finally looked down at her. His expression softened, the fierce protectiveness fading into something warmer, closer. His gaze held hers, and the air in the sunlit study grew thick and quiet. Lu Hua's smile softened, her eyes expectant. She didn't look away. His hand in her hair stopped moving. He leaned in just a tiny bit, his eyes on her face, her lips...
Tap. Tap. Tap.
A knock came at the study door.
Lu Hua blinked, the soft moment broken by surprise. Zihao's head turned toward the door, a flash of frustration quickly hidden.
"Enter," Zihao called, his voice calm again, though a little cooler than before.
A senior maid stepped in and bowed deeply. "Forgive me, Your Highness, Princess," she said respectfully, keeping her eyes down. "Her Imperial Majesty the Empress sends her regards. She has sent a physician to check on Princess Lu Hua. The physician is waiting in the receiving chamber, at Your Highness's convenience."
Lu Hua cleared her throat, suddenly aware of her place on Zihao's lap. She slid off smoothly, standing and fussing with her robes as if they needed fixing. "Ah. Yes. Of course. Thank you. Please tell the physician I'll be there soon." Her voice was bright, maybe too bright.
The maid bowed again. "Yes, Princess." She left, closing the door softly behind her.
The room fell silent, heavy with the echo of the interrupted moment. Lu Hua busied herself smoothing her skirt, though it was already perfect. Zihao cleared his throat, a faint blush creeping up from his robe's collar, coloring his ears and cheeks. He picked up the scroll with a casual air, though he didn't open it.
"Well," Lu Hua said, still avoiding his eyes, a small, flustered smile on her lips. She waved vaguely toward the door. "Better not keep the physician waiting. Don't want Her Majesty thinking I'm ignoring my health." She took a step toward the door, then paused. "I'll... see you later?"
Zihao looked up from the scroll, meeting her eyes. The blush was still there, but his face was calm, with a hint of quiet amusement. "Definitely," he said, his voice steady.
With a quick glance, Lu Hua turned and left the study, closing the door softly behind her. Zihao sat alone in the sunlit room, the scroll forgotten in his lap, the faint blush still warming his face.
---
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