Love Like The Galaxy (Fanfiction)

IV. Anger and pain

The silence in the carriage is killing him. It has been five years since he has been in such close proximity with her, Cheng Shao Shang. The love of his life that he had abandoned for his revenge. Since he has been stationed in the north, not a day has gone by where he didn't think of her. Not a day has gone by that he didn't regret. If he had not pushed her away, maybe today he would be married to her.

Huo Buyi is not even dreaming of a happy life for himself. Today, he had performed his duty. He had sworn to her, he would always protect her, and he did. If Shao Shang had fallen off that cliff with Luo Jitong, he would have followed her in death. His life had no purpose without her alive and well.

He had to insist for Shao Shang to accept to take his carriage back to the palace. She had refused at first because he knew she didn't want anything to do with him anymore. But Shao Shang was also a practical person and a survivor. It would have taken her at least a day of constantly walking to go back. She had no water and no food. And the road was dangerous for a single woman. A small glitter of hope had made his heart shine when he heard her say yes.

Huo Buyi was determined to stay behind and not bother her anymore. His men would have come for him quickly with a horse, and he didn't mind walking. Shao Shang had entered his carriage without looking at him. He had turned around to sit on a rock. He was going to look at his shoulder. His arm was aching with pain. Holding two persons with one arm had brought back the pain of an old shoulder wound. That's when he heard a small voice say:" General Huo, it is not decent for me to deprive you of your carriage. You should come back with me."

Therefore, he is now sitting in his carriage with Shao Shang. He had first sat opposite her on the floor, but she had seen that he was not comfortable. His carriage was large, but there was only one sitting place. She had told him to sit beside her. He had done it, and now they were both in this awkward silence. The only sound that could be heard is the sound of the carriage moving. In an hour, they will be at the palace and will go back to being strangers.

Suddenly, the carriage jumps a little. They probably hit a rock or something. It happened too quickly, but Shao Shang lost her balance and fell on his lap. Huo Buyi grabs her by the arm to stop her from falling. He will warn his men to be more careful. Shao Shang lifted her head, and their faces were now a few inches from each other. Their eyes met, and they stared for a few seconds to one another. "Are you ok, Miss Cheng?" He said to her in a soft voice. He took all his will to not touch her face. For a moment, he swears he saw longing into her eyes.

Shao Shang removed her arm from him quickly and nodded her head. She looks away. The pain in Huo Buyi's heart increased. He knows that this feeling will never go away. He must accept that she only feels disgust and anger for him. Even if his mind played tricks on him like it did a few moments ago.

"Why?" She said in a cold voice. It took Huo Buyi a moment to understand what she meant.

"Why, what Miss Cheng?"

Shao Shang turned her face to look at him. She is angry, her eyes are telling him so.

"Why did you save me? You could have died! How can you be such a ridiculous man!" She spat at him.

"I told you. I won't live without you in this world." He said to her with a calm voice, keeping his eyes on her.

"I told you. We are strangers now to one another. You don't owe me anything." She said with a bitter tone.

"I have sworn to always protect you. Doesn't matter what you think of me now. You and I are always going to be linked to one another." He said to her, touching his arm where her bite mark was. He had made sure that the bite had left a permanent scar on his arm. He wanted to never be free of her. To be her slave forever, even if she hated him.