The Untamed Princess

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Second Truth

It was true.  Weisheng had known exactly where she would be.  The same place she always retreated to these days when she needed to feel safe.  He had pondered letting her be, but his anger and impatience got the better of him, and he ventured into the orchard after her.

It had not taken long to find her.  She was facing away from him.  Her costume from the banquet was shimmering brightly in the moonlight, and her long, dark hair was loose, moving gently in the breeze.  She looked ethereal and delicate.  Weisheng took a deep breath, and hardened his resolve.

"I knew you would be here."

She turned to face him.  She noticed that his expression was grim, and before she had a chance to say anything, he spoke again.

"It was Li Jun, wasn't it?"

Her eyes widened.

"Don't bother to deny it," he said.  "I always had my suspicions, but now I know for sure."  He moved closer to her, but she stood her ground.  Not receiving any response, he continued.

"I saw you stumble when you were facing him.  And I saw the look in your eyes."  He moved closer again, and again she didn't move.

"There's no other reason why you would have left so quickly after the banquet.  You were trying to avoid him, weren't you?  Weren't you?"  Weisheng's last, repeated question was almost a shout as his voice raised along with the level of frustration.

"I can't," cried Ming Yue, almost in tears.  The prince's jaw clenched, and he tightened his grip on the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist.

"It ends here," he said, grimly, and turned around to leave the orchard.

"Please don't go to him.  For me, please don't. I'm begging you, Weisheng!"  In desperation, she ran forward and threw her arms around him, pressing herself tightly against his back.

The two of them stood like this for some time, with only the sound of the orchard leaves rustling lightly breaking the silence.  Finally, Weisheng spoke.

"I don't understand," he said quietly.  "Why would you protect him like this?"

"I'm not," she replied, with a strangled sob.  "I'm protecting you."

Weisheng felt like he had been punched in the gut.  Finally, he saw what he had been too blinded by anger and frustration to accept previously.  Ming Yue had known all along what naming his brother as her attacker would to do him, to his family and, not wanting to put him in that position, she had bottled it up inside of her, suffering in silence for so long.

The fact that Ming Yue would sacrifice so much for him shattered his last ounce of self-restraint.  Slowly, he turned, and looked down into her eyes.

"Very well, then," he said.  "I'll stay." 

She gave a slight smile but, he was surprised to note, did not remove her arms from around him.  Taking his cue from her, he lifted his left arm and wrapped it around her waist.

"But now," he said, "it is you who does not understand."  She looked up at him quizzically, and he pulled her closer.

"I am the one who should be protecting you."

Ming Yue opened her mouth to speak, but the question that came from her lips was not the one he had expected to hear.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked, almost shyly.  Weisheng smiled.

"Silly girl," he said, softly.  "I would know you anywhere."  With that, he tilted her face up towards his, and kissed her.

***