The Cruel Prince

A YEAR LATER

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Wind swept Ying Yue's long dark hair as she watched the palace from her perch on a tree. It had been over a year since she last stepped foot on the palace. Over a year since her husband the Crown Prince callously banished her from the place. To this day she still doesn't understand his reasoning for doing so. How abrupt and how cold he was.

She forced a breath out of her constricting chest. She made herself calm down or else she's going to begin sobbing again. The pain of his betrayal stabbed her like a fresh wound in her chest that had yet to heal or she had yet to forgive.

Ying Yue scanned the walls and the gates. She memorized the number and the movements of the guards. The time they switched and when they did their mandatory patrols of the area. She did this for the last three days until she knew the routine well enough that she could access the gates without notice.

The fourth night is when she decided to scale its walls. It had been a quiet night; the guards were unusually relaxed, some even falling for short dozes. Clearly the guards had been complacent that no one would ever suspect her breaking in.

She made her way inside leaping from one building to another as she hid behind walls. Ever since she had made her bargain with the demon, she noticed the lightness in her steps, her unusual strength, the speed of her reflexes. Not only that, but she also noticed how she blended and disappeared from the shadows like she became one with the darkness. It was so easy to infiltrate the courtyard that no one noticed her at all as he climbed the tower that housed the crown prince.

Ying Yue climbed to the highest window tinkered with the hinges until it was loose enough to free the frame. She snuck through it peering at the darkened halls. It had been left empty, she knew Jian doesn't like having guards crowding his hall and he'd been particular with his privacy having one chosen person to watch his back.

Good, she thought. It would make for easy killing.

She pressed herself just outside his door. Dim light flickered from underneath; she knew Jian left his candles burning to the wick not trusting the darkness and the demons that felt at home in it.

She opened the door to let herself in, daggers gripped tightly on her hands.

Jian sat on the edge of the bed. The same one they shared together. Calmness in his handsome visage. Long raven hair falling messily over his eyes, strong jaws, and rosebud lips. Jian displayed no reaction, only watched her with his golden eyes as though he had expected her to show up to kill him tonight.

Then his gaze drifted to her shoulder, gazing at the man now standing behind her. Shit! She hadn't even thought about Chanshin.

How can she have forgotten about Chanshin? The only guard Jian trusted to be by his side.

Of course, he would have been able to snuck behind her. Even with his large physique he's still able to move like a ghost.

"What? You and Chanshin are sleeping together now?" She cocked her head and grinned.

"Take care of her, Chanshin." Jian murmured softly.

"Yes, my prince."

Ying Yue wasted no time twisting as she struck first, curving an arch with her daggers. She had been swift, but Chanshin had been faster leaping out of her reach. She lunged forward and struck again, then again, leaving no room for a hair of a breath. But each time, Chanshin had been able to evade her attacks without as much as returning her advances.

He's fast even with her enhanced speed, she's barely a match for him.

Chanshin's eyes narrowed. "When did you get so fast?" It took years to master speed and reflex in sword fighting and Ying Yue had only been banished a year ago.

"I've always been fast, Chanshin. You're too busy watching my brother, you never paid attention to me."

"No. You never had proper training."

"How would you know? You'd never seen me train."

She dropped her daggers in favor of the sword attached to her back. Same sword Jian had given her. She propelled herself forward. Chanshin met her blade again. Barely sending him a step backwards. He's like a human wall. The way he is is so strong, so intimidating ever since they were children that no wonder the Emperor made him in charge of Jian's security at a very young age.

Jian is only two years older but Chanshin had already matched Jian's skills and strength at every level. They circled each other, eyes focused, never wavering from one another. And again they swung meeting blades over and over.

Ying Yue gritted her teeth while her nose flared, filling her lungs with needed air. What a useless bargain with the devil when she couldn't even beat Chanshin.

"Breathless already, Ying Yue?" Chanshin cocked his head grinning.

"Don't be so cocky."

She knew she had to end it somehow if she wanted to save her energy for Jian. Ying Yue exerted her strength behind her next swing but Chanshin had been ready for her, sliding his sword to the hilt of hers. And without much effort, he dislodged the blade from her grip. It's the difference between someone with skills and someone just using brute strength in sword fighting.

The sword went flying off her hands and landed with a clang by Jian's feet.

Jian stared at the sword at his feet before bending over to pick it up.

Chanshin's hand shot to her throat before she knew it, pushing her back until her back was flushed on the wall. Ying Yue clawed her fingers at him, trying to rip his fingers from her neck.

"Do you know an attempt on the prince's life is punishable by death." He gritted.

Ying Yue snorted. "Such a fool of me."

He slammed her on the wall. "This is serious, Ying Yue!"

"I wouldn't have tried it if I wasn't serious!" She spat.

"That's enough!" Said Jian from his seat as he watched the whole thing unfold like it was a play for him to enjoy. He placed the sword beside him and rose from the edge of the bed, stalking closer.

'Leave us." He commanded evenly.

Chanshin pressed his lips to a hard line, a moment of hesitation evident from his strained jaw lines, but kept his mouth shut. He released Ying Yue from his grip and stepped away.

Ying Yue gasped for breath, fingers caressing her painful throat.

Jian took Lucian's place in front of her, calmness in the way he moved. He examined her, trailing his golden eyes from head to toes noting exactly where she'd taken blows. "You're hurt."

"Nice observation."

Jian said nothing as he reached a gentle hand to her cheek. The prince looked at her softly, tracing her features lovingly. It confused her instantly. He had banished her, sent her away without a word, without an explanation. Mercilessly. He wanted to get rid of her. Now, why is he looking at her that way? Why is he touching her like he cared for her?

Her entire body shook in anger and spat. "I hate you!"

"I know, Mona." Val said and it had been exactly what he wanted her to feel for him.