The Cruel Prince

THE SINGING WALL

Prince Jian took his time ruminating on his wife until the night ate away deeper. He sat alone in the quiet room, swarming with suspicion. He knew it was strange and he hoped it wasn't what he suspected it was.

Finally, he got up to leave and made his way to the dark and empty hallway of the palace.

Cruel Prince,
Cruel Prince,
You're so cruel,
You'll get what's coming.

Prince Jian paused listening to the soft whisper on the walls. He growled and continued meandering on his way, weary of the sudden voice oozing out of the stone walls.

He picked up his footing, minimizing the noise  and placed his hand upon the hilt of his sword. He listened for someone else in the hallway, finding no one, only the wind singing to him.

Cruel Prince,
Cruel Prince,
You're so cruel,
I'm going to make you suffer the same way you made me.

The signing continued, bleeding through the thick walls and the high ceiling. It sung the song as if it was a curse placed upon the prince. It pushed, it intimidated, and it crowded the prince making him listless with anxiousness.

"Show yourself!" The prince hissed viciously ready to unsheathe his blade.

Cruel Prince,
Cruel Prince,
You're so cruel,
I'm taking the one you love the most just like I promised.

"Show yourself, you coward! You're not welcome in my palace!" The Prince bellowed, his alarming voice echoed and streamed down all the way down to the open hall.

She's mine to take. The voice took on a maleficent tone, slithering slippery on the walls, traveling further down the hallway, leading, urging, and baiting Prince Jian to follow it.

He rushed chasing after the inexistent voice that led him out to the open hall where it breezed and dissolved within the crowd of people walking together.

It was Ying Yue strolling with her entourage of servants and guards following her close behind. There's an irritated knot on her forehead, she was upset that Prince Jian not only sent all the maidservants back to trail her, he also added two armed guards to follow her every footsteps.

She grimaced as soon as she saw her husband. Her eyes sharp as a knife and her lips thin as a line.

It all changed when she saw the wild look in his eyes. Jian was like an animal, wild and frenzied. His vicious eyes locked on her, his breathing heaved heavily, jutting his chest in and out. Wang Jian looked more like an animal than a sophisticated prince.

Ying  Yue stopped, alarmed by Prince Jian's unusual behavior.

"Jian?"

Wang Jian blinked coming back to reality.

"Ying Yue? What're you doing here?" Jian's voice oozed with anxiety.

Ying  Yue lifted her chin, observing her husband. Something about him was odd, and she's searching for something she couldn't see, a clue to why he was just the way he was - like a wild animal.

"I was on the way back to the bedchamber. It's getting late." Her eyes drifted heavy on his hand that's gripped tightly on his blade. "Jian?"

Prince Wang Jian slid his hand away, wiping the rivulets of sweat coating his forehead.

"Good, I'll walk you there myself."

He rearranged his attire, and composed himself back together, wiping his clammy palms on his sides.

He turned to the servants and guards.

"You're all released for the evening!" The prince commanded, and at once, all the maidservants and the guards turned around leaving the prince and his wife alone.

Ying  Yue noted the faint shakiness in his voice. She waited until the noises of the skirts, footsteps and rustling armor are gone before lifting her eyes again.

"What the heck happened to you? You looked like you're about to go on a rampage a minute ago."

Jian paled. If only Ying  Yue could understand what just happened, what he's up against, and what's lurking in the walls, he wouldn't have to pretend to her. His lips pressed and issued a step towards her.

"It was nothing, I thought I heard something in the hallway and chased after it."

"Oh, I see you finally gone crazy?!" Mused Ying  Yue with humor.

"Maybe so." Answered Wang Jian without humor, he was still a bit shaken, he hasn't encountered darkness in years, since he threw  her in the streets.

Ying  Yue bit her lip and scanned Jian, something about him is odd, really odd tonight. "Are you okay?" She asked, hiding the hint of concern in her voice.

"I'm fine."

"I think not."

"When were you ever concerned about me? Last time I knew you were ill intent on killing me." Jian grasped her arm softly, urging her to walk with him. She did so without hesitation as if they were never parted for many years.

"You know well enough nobody is allowed to kill you but me." She purred.

Jian smiled despite of his tumultuous evening. "How stimulating. I'd like to see you try and kill me in bed for once, and I'll show you how fun it could get, instead of your usual snoring."

"You're disgusting, Jian! I knew you watch me in my sleep!"

He laughed. "I can't help it. You did told me to sleep with one eye open."

They made it to the bedroom suddenly hit by a thick wall of sudden problematic awkwardness.

Ying  Yue aware of her husband so close beside her - that she could feel his warm skin transferring to her. Her eyes darted to the bed, her heart rate violent on her chest. It's not like they don't already sleep beside each other, b-but...

She stepped aside, gaining a breathing space.

Jian snickered reacting to his wife. He can practically hear her heart thudding. He reached to her, his hand crept around her small waist, pulling her back close to him. "If you want me to sleep somewhere else, I will. There are plenty of empty chambers in the palace."

"No, no, as long as you can keep your hands to yourself. I'm fine with it."

Jian let out a chuckle. "I honestly don't think you would protest it when it comes to it. I think you would like it, I think that you miss it, because I always took my time with you, made sure I made you feel good, I made sure you shattered before me, I never left you unsatisfied. I did what I can and made sure you moaned night after night. That's why you loved me so much then, Ying Yue. I filled you up and drove you nuts." His finger trailed softly up and down her arm.

Ying Yue turned the deepest color of red, quivering faintly at his words, at his touch, then her face contorted into anger, and embarrassment perhaps - not wanting to admit Jian was right.

"You freak!" Her fist shot up kissing Jian's jaw that made him tossed his head back violently.

Jian stumbled a step backwards and laughed. "Calm down, Ying Yue. I was just having fun!"