The Untamed Princess

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Belated Realisation

Ming Yue almost turned her head to look at him in surprise, but stopped herself when she realised that would put their faces only millimetres apart.  Instead, not trusting herself to speak, she drew her legs obediently back into the bed and under the covers.

Satisfied, Weisheng leant back, allowing himself a small smile when he noticed a light flush creeping across the back of the woman's neck.  Moving to one side, he helped Ming Yue to lie down, and absent-mindedly brushed her hair back from her face, only realising the intimacy of the gesture when her gaze widened.  Slightly flustered, he pulled his hand away quickly.

"Rest now," he said.  "You're safe in this room, and one of us will be here at all times."

Ming Yue nodded and closed her eyes.  It wasn't long before her slow, measured breathing told the prince that she was asleep, and he and Luo Jian moved further away from the bed, so as not to wake her as they talked.

"What do you think?" said Weisheng.

"I think she's telling us the truth," replied Luo Jian.  The prince nodded.

"Me too.  It's too crazy not to be true and, if she was going to lie, why tell a lie like that?"

Weisheng glanced out of an open window and noticed that, by now, the moon was high in the sky.

"It's late," he said.  "You should go and get some rest."

"What about you?" Luo Jian asked.

"I will be fine."

Feeling reassured that the prince really did not need his presence any longer that night, Luo Jian left the chamber, and gave the guards outside strict instructions that on no account was His Highness to be disturbed until he returned in the morning.  Then, he stepped out into the night.

Weisheng moved back towards the bed and lay down on top of the covers, facing the back of the sleeping woman.  He should probably stay close to her, he reasoned, in case she woke in the night and was scared.  And it wasn't as if they would be sleeping together anyway, as he intended to stay wide awake all night, just in case she needed him.  Besides, hadn't they already shared a bed together once in any event, back when they were in the northern provinces?  On that basis, it was perfectly acceptable.

Having justified himself completely, Weisheng settled down comfortably for what remained of the night.

***

When Ming Yue woke, she was surprised to find that she had gained an extra arm.  At least, that's what it looked like.  On closer inspection, she noticed that the arm was much bigger than hers, and altogether more manly.  She turned her head to look over her left shoulder, wincing at the pain in her neck, and saw a fast asleep Zhao Weisheng's face not far from her own.

Employing her own famous brand of stoicism, Ming Yue went to turn her head back and lie down again, resolving that he must have been exhausted, and it was best not to wake him by shuffling around too much.  However, as her eyes moved away from the prince's face, she caught sight of the dressing, just above her left collarbone.

Ming Yue had been wounded before, but never in such a disgusting and degrading way.  The eldest prince had left his own personal mark on her body and, from the thickness of the bandage, she realised there was a good chance that the scar where his mouth had been would never fade.  A wave of horror and revulsion crashed over her and, before she knew it, she had started to cry uncontrollably, drawing her knees towards her body and lowering her head to her chest.

Zhao Weisheng was woken by the sensation of something moving beneath his left arm.  He opened his eyes.   Ming Yue's back was towards him, as it had been when he fell asleep last night.  But this time, she was shaking.  He tightened his arm around her, and carefully rolled her over to face him.