The Cruel Prince

STARVED TO DEATH

Food remained on the table and the aroma of different dishes lingered in the air. Banye had a buffet of feast sitting just for her.

He sat on the table with his eyes weighted on her, watching Ying Yue carefully as she moved around slowly in the house. Banye's lips pressed tightly, his jaws clenched. Ying Yue knew he's upset, but what Banye really felt was fear and worry. He's afraid Ying Yue is going to die on him if she continues starving herself.

Ying Yue moved slowly from the couch – where she made her permanent residence – to the kitchen table. Her head swims, she could barely hold it up, and her knees wobbled, barely have enough energy to push her legs for a stride.

Her stomach lurched as the waft of food shoved its aroma in her nose. Ying Yue hasn't eaten in almost three days.

"Fei, please eat, you haven't eaten in days." Banye crooned.

She bit her lip, her eyes flicked to the different dishes, making her mouth water. "No. These are your food, I can't eat them, if I did, I'll get stuck in here forever and we both know it. I want to go home still."

"If you die, then you will be stuck here forever."

"No. I don't want to eat." She murmured weakly with the last inch of her stubbornness.

Banye sighed sharply, frustration on his side. "What do you want then?"

She said nothing. She wanted to go back home, back to the palace, back to her husband.

Banye rose and stalked around the table closer to her, he dragged his seat with him and settled beside her.

Ying Yue kept her face calm and controlled as she watch him make his way to her. Banye picked up her chopsticks and began picking dishes to her plate until it's piled halfway filled. He'll have to feed her if he must. "Please eat. You've been wasting away since you got here."

His eyes lifted to her sunken ones, the brightness on them are gone. "You're looking terrible."

For an instant, Ying Yue met his eyes, but flicked them back away immediately. She's still trying to get used peering at his dark abysmal eyes, because they were terrifying to look at no matter how beautiful they were. It made her feel uneasy each time.

He picked up a bite of meat trying to feed her with it. Ying Yue struggled to refuse it, she wanted nothing than to open her mouth and gorge the food he's dangling in front of her.

She clenched her hand to her lap keeping herself in control, focusing on the long chopsticks. She could grab it and stab his neck clean with it, but the energy it would take to wrestle it away from him, she's not sure she could even manage it.

"Don't even think about killing me with the chopstick, Fei. I can read exactly what's on your mind."

The way she stared at the chopsticks didn't exactly hid her murderous intent.

She said and did nothing, getting up, dragging herself back to the couch, laying down with her back facing him, her face buried to the cushion, so she wouldn't have to smell the waft of food stinging her senses.

Banye loosened a deep sigh, he waved his hand at the buffet of food and made them disappear instantly.

"You're one hard headed girl." He murmured softly.

He got up from his chair and followed behind her, inviting himself to sit where she lay. Banye rested his hand on her shoulder, gently stirring her to face him. Ying Yue blinked weakly, she met his gaze and did not look away, waiting for him to state what he wanted.

He stared at her, and without warning, he swoops her into his arms, and yanked her out of the couch, holding her to his chest. 

His swiftness took her by surprise. She squirmed inside his arms. "Let go of me."

"No, Fei. I'm taking you somewhere else."

Banye did this so he could hold on to her tightly, afraid to lose her in the middle of his jump. "Hold on tight."

With a poof, the tendrils of black smoke enraptured coating them. Banye got her out of the house for the first time since he took her.

They popped in a small human village. Banye brought her back in the mortal world, it was night time, but there's plenty of people outside their houses. There's a celebration happening, a festival of the spirit. People are in costumes acting foolish behind their devilish masks.

Banye put her down while she surveyed the bright lanterns lined the festival.

"Would you eat the food I buy from the stalls?" He asked.

Ying Yue gave him no answer, she was eager to join the crowd, except she was too weak, and her stomach growled, she couldn't get anywhere without stumbling.

Banye pulled her back up to him. "Please, tell me you'll eat?"

"You brought me here just so I would eat?"

"I will drag you to the end of the universe to keep you breathing." He smiled sincerely. "Come, I know you're starving."

They stopped by the first stall selling pork dumplings, and the noodle stall next. Banye let her sit by the table along with the other humans while he sat beside her, admiring her. Looking just as any regular mortal. He even sported pupils for the evening which Ying Yue never noticed.

He let out a sigh of relief, he's glad she finally ate, and he was glad he doesn't have to worry about her this evening.

Banye gathered her hair away from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear while she slurped hungrily on her noodles. "I've always wondered what human food tastes like. Watching you eat it makes my mouth water."

Ying Yue slowed down, realizing she must have been gorging her food like an animal. "It's good, I guess." She said softly. "But it's especially good if it's made by someone you love, they add that special ingredient called love."

"Have you ever cooked for your husband?"

She smirked, it was an odd question. "I live in a palace with a thousand servants, my husband is a prince. I never had to lift a finger to do anything. No, I never had to make him food."

Banye leaned his elbow on the table, resting his cheek on his palm. He continued gazing at her while Ying Yue went back to eating her food. "I am but a regular spirit with a humble house. I have a kitchen...will you make food for me?"

Ying Yue snorted. "I'm afraid my especial ingredient is called poison, not love. In that case, I'll happily cook for you every night."

"I'll probably happily eat your poison in that case."

She whipped her head and glared at him. "You just gave me an approval to kill you slowly."

"So, you'll cooked for me then?" He smirked.