My Liege And I

No Doubt

Lance pulled out a necklace from his pocket and shoved it over her head and onto her neck. He used the thread of it to tighten it around her neck. The necklace was a wooden naked woman. It was not ugly, it was not outstanding.

"I made it myself," Lance ran his hand on her cheek. A habit that needed to end.

“Thank you."

“Those words again, Li Lian. What is going on with you?”

Maybe she was feeling yesterday. The hinges of it still hung onto her heart that she was a little bit demotivated, in the midst of trying to be on her highest spirits.

“Your beholden emperor is waiting for you in the dining halls, he would like to have breakfast with you.”

Her heart skipped at that news. Every minute she could have with Yu'er was special and something she looked forward to.

“Do you mind if I escort you?”

“Will saying ‘no’ keep you from going?”

Lance smirked. “No.”

Li Lian sized up the sword in his hand. “Weapons are not allowed around the academy, except at the training grounds. Why are you holding yours around?”

The vein on his forehead visibly ticked. “Nothing, just expecting a good fight that I have been waiting for, for a long time.”

“Oh?”

“I cannot wait.”

She was about to ask more about it when he pushed her forth into the dining halls and her mind quickly dumped the subject to insignificance when she saw Yuwen Hong inside, conversing with the talkative senior from the deck on the previous day.

Lance kept close to her, although she would have preferred it if he disappeared. She feared having him near Yu’er in the case that Lance could get spiteful and spill the truth about her identity.

The senior noticed her first and whispered something to Yuwen Hong which made him smile. The senior said something again and they laughed, before he walked away. Yuwen Hong wore the familiar boyish smile as he took steps toward her.

“However, bit by bit the smile tore away from his face, a deadly scowl taking over. “Li Lian,” he said, but before she replied, Lance's face was cracking under the fist of Yu'er's hand.

“Yuwen Hong?” she snapped, shocked by Lance lying on the floor holding his jaw and grunting, the sword tossed away.

Yu’er took her face with both his hands. “Tell me it’s a lie!” he gruffly begged.

“What―”

“Did you kiss him?”

A flush of perspiration poured over her body. 

“Are you in love with him?” he yelled louder, the second time.

Her eyes blinked rapidly. “No… Yuwen Hong… Why would you say that?” She chose to answer only the second part, knowing he was going to misunderstand and turn a molehill into a mountain.

But he wasn't stupid. “Did you kiss him?”

Oh, there was no escaping this.

He read the hesitation on her and shoved her aside, picking Lance again. “Stupid barbarian! How dare you be so proud? Today I will kill you!”

The heavy cracking of bones again severed the air, making Li Lian wince.

"Yuwen Hong, please!"