Frozen Fire

Chapter 18

Short Moment of Distraction

As the noise occurred to the emperor, he immediately jerked up awake. For instant, he glanced to his consort, his grip automatically tightened on his beloved's waist. His jaw hardened. In hurry, he led his consort to wear they outer robes.

It wasn't something new for the emperor, facing a sudden attack like this. He knew very well that he was a man who had countless enemies; rivals, some people who he destroyed and seeking for revenge or even hidden enemies who came from his own side anytime and pretended to be his friend. His enemy could be anyone. He was very aware of this fact and that was the exact reason why he was very against the idea of his beloved consort joined him in this journey. Palace was his territory where he could guarantee the safeness, but the emperor couldn't say the same along the journey. Anything could happen in this long trip.

Once they wore they robes, the emperor immediately grabbed his sword. His consort automatically followed the emperor's step to the exit when the emperor suddenly stopped and turned his body. The emperor eyed his consort sharply, his hands reached and gripped the both of Dayu's arms.

"No, you stay inside the tent." The emperor decided with final tone, leaving no room for his consort to argue. However the ruler of the country still could see the look in his consort's eyes, as if he planned to immediately fly outside once the emperor out of his sight. After all his consort always found a way to never bent down to any of his rules.

"That's an order, sweetheart. I will take a look the current situation outside. You have to stay inside the tent, I will ask the guards and few of my trusted generals to guard this tent. Don't come out side no matter what. I can't tell who attacked us, if it's just a bunch of ordinary mountain bandits, enemies or the rebellion." The emperor continued with commanding tone.

In the end, Dayu could only stand unmoved from his original place as the emperor's figure finally disappeared from his sight.

The consort looked down, observing his own appearance. Despite he was already so far away from the palace, the emperor still made sure he could wear the finest attire. His robe was so smooth and silky, the quality must fit its price. The robe was anything like the emperor's ordinary female concubines, but Dayu could tell it was anything like the robe owned by the male royals. It was something that only made specifically for him; the only male consort of the emperor.

His hands trembled while caress the robe. The emperor , his very own enemy, forced himself on him, dressed him to his fancy and guarded him like a female concubines, the emperorwas indeed treated him like a woman. This fact somehow hurt Dayu's pride even more as a man. What could happen if he went outside anyway? He wasn't someone so helpless. He was a warrior too. He knew how to defend himself. And beside, violated the rules made by someone he hated to the core was sure bringing a strange satisfaction deep within him.

After short moment of consideration, the consort made his move toward the exit exactly when the battle outside was getting louder and louder.

-

"Sire, they are very dangerous. We tried to keep our formation but they kept pushing us. Even general Liu received a very serious injury." Once the emperor stepped outside, one of his general immediately reported the current situation. The emperor had this grim look on his face as his eyes stared straight forward to where the fights occurred.

The one who attacked them was a group of bandits that consist of around thirty persons. It was really foolish of them for daring enough to attack the emperor's entourages, however once the emperor saw how the bandits were too handful for his armies and generals to handle, he immediately knew that these weren't a bunch of ordinary bandits. They were exactly like being reported by the general, very dangerous. Their swords and fighting skill were very skillful and above average. It seemed like these bandits had been trained under a skillful sword master for years. Probably that was the reason that gave their confidence that they capable attacking the emperor and his entourages.