A Flower Without Rain

Chapter 32

A sharp breath, Crown Prince Xin Hua awakened as he sat up in his bed and looked around. Eyes landing on his personal guard, Ru Mingyu who sat in a chair just a few feet away, he called him. "......Ru Mingyu," his throat was dry.

Hearing his voice, the guard immediately came to his side, "Your Highness," he was relieved the Crown Prince finally came to be. "Are you alright?"

Voice hoarse, he pointed at the jug of water. "Pour me a cup." he asked.

Heeding his words, the guard filled a cup and handed it to him. Taking it, the royal's unsteady hands brought it to his lips and as he drank, droplets managed to escape down his chin and neck. Finished, he then placed it on his nightstand.

Xin Hua sat still for a moment, as though lost and the guard watched. "........Where is Lian Yu?...." his voice was low.

Ru Mingyu didn't even want to say those words and instead lowered his head giving his answer. Seeing his actions, the Crown Prince gave a dreadful frown. His teeth clenched, exasperation filled him. She was truly gone.

Suddenly, the doors opened and shut as Prince Ren Huiliang entered in his wheelchair with a handbook on his lap. Just the sight of the foreign prince, set him off as a bitter expression overcame him.

Forcing himself out of bed, although he was supposed to remain resting due to the sleep inducing drug, the Crown Prince came before him and grabbed his collar. This sent bewilderment throughout Ren Huiliang and scrunched his brows as he did nothing wrong to receive this treatment.

"Where is she?!" Xin Hua yelled. "And what do you know? Answer me!!!" he was desperate.

"Calm down will you!" Ren Huiliang shouted as his eyes looked to Ru Mingyu, who was already pulling the Crown Prince away.

Taking him back to his mattress to rest, the royal breathed heavily. The drug was not completely out of his system yet, and his sudden actions may overwhelm his body. The worst case scenario; he will collapse.

"Now that you're 'calm,' I need to put it out there that my nation is not responsible for anything that's been happening. Ever since I arrived, I've been holding suspicions myself."

His eyes still in a glare, Xin Hua spoke. "Continue,"

"The moment I arrived, I could feel eyes watching me just like you. Then, I heard talk of treachery before they eventually came to ask me to join them, and I denied them every time."

"What treachery did they speak of?" questioned the Crown Prince.

"The leaders, the Sui Kingdom, plan to end the curse the Four Kingdoms hold."

This made his brows scrunch, unable to grasp the situation at hand. What is this curse? How is this curse affecting them? Why are they acting now?

"Look," Ren Huiliang said to gain his attention. "I don't know what they want with the Crown Princess but we must get her back. All I know is that when things are not in their rightful place, slowly the pieces fall apart."

It was yet another tiring day as Lian Zhong opened the door to his shared courtyard. Before he had gotten married to Yuan Li, he never really bothered with how his courtyard looked and simply left it up to the servants to take care of. But since her, he always made sure there were roses of all colors to fill it.

Stepping out, the Commander stood on the patio as he looked at the flowers. Expression stern, a tear suddenly ran down his cheek. Noticing this, he immediately wiped it away as a sniffle followed. His significant other gone and now his sister, he could no longer contain the sorrow he's held for so long. Was everyone just going to leave one by one?

Quickly as he dried his wet cheeks, a knock at the door then greeted him. Hearing so, he simply allowed their entrance. "You may enter," the man continued speaking, "What is it that you need?" he tried to compose his voice.

A frowned smile, the individual called his name. "Zhong......"

He knew that voice all too well. Turning his head, ecstasy filled him at the sight of this person and eyes seemed to lighten. Those eyes he had dried, watered once more. ".....Li....." he called her name dearly as he walked to her and so did she.

An awkward laugh, she took him into her embrace as he's already taken her in his. Droplets escaping, she buried her face into his chest. "I'm home."

In the dead of night, Crown Prince Xin Hua laid wide awake. The death of his sister and now that woman no longer within his grasp, it all has been weighing him down. Eyes shutting for a brief second, he raised his left hand and focused on his fourth finger. It was where he and Lian Yu tied the red string on each other during their wedding ceremony.

A deep breath, he then rested his arm to the side. Only questions raised about her well-being. Is she safe? Is she hungry? Is she being treated with care? Is she scared?

"Just when I thought I could protect someone........I couldn't."
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