Cold Sands || Beyond the Frore Dunes [COMPLETED]

Chapter 5: Unpredicted

I awake from a shiver. My eyes shoot open only to find a face that I want to beat into a pulp.

The owner of said face, Murong Yu, is sitting by the bed with his arms across his chest. His face is emotionless as though I'm simply a fruit and he's carefully deliberating whether to peel me or juice me.

His expression remains unchanged when he sees me slowly opening my eyes. "Morning."

I suddenly feel a burst of irritation. It's his damn fault that I ended up like this in the first place!

I feel a sharp pain in my chest just as I try to get up. Scarlet seeps through the white bandage. I can't help but fall back into a pile of blankets and pant as if my life depends on it.

"Save it. Just look at you. You are lucky to even wake up."

He leans in grinning and pulls the blankets back over me. There's nothing wrong with grinning but his grin is so creepy it makes me shiver.

So creepy it can't get any creepier.

"Alright, okay, okay." I push his hand away despite the pain. He frowns and grudgingly oblige. I shrug helplessly. "I'll just consider myself unlucky for ending up as your prisoner again."

He nods, seemingly satisfied. "Glad we have reached an agreement."

I catch my breath before speaking. "Being your prisoner's not that bad actually. The place I sleep in might be a bit cold, the food might be kind of bad, I might have to get beaten up every now and then but besides that it's actually not that bad."

His eyes widen as if he didn't hear me clearly. "You certainly are optimistic, huh?"

"Well, it's not like being pessimistic will get me out of here. So why should I bother?" I pause before continuing. "But let me make it clear right now: I really have no information to give you this time 'round. So don't try to make me talk or whatever because if you were going to do so you should've left me to die back there."

He coughs lightly and instantly restrains his grin, putting on a solemn face. "Saving a life is better than any offering to God. Plus it was naught but a hand's turn."

"I bet many others died during the invasion this time. Are you going to save each and every one of them?" I can't help but snicker.

The candle flame flickers, casting a dim warm light over the room. Only now do I notice it's already pitch black outside. I can't decipher the glint in his eyes as they linger over me as if searching for something.

He suddenly turns his head away. "Forget it. I know you enjoy battles of the tongue but I shall not waste time arguing with you. Here." He places a bowl of murky black medicine beside the bed. "The external ointment has been applied already so drink this."

Unsure of what he's got planned I hesitate and retreat back into the blankets.

Irritation flashes in his eyes. "If I wanted to kill you I would've done so earlier. Why go through the trouble of rescuing you? Not going to drink it? Fine!"

Despite his words, he holds out the steaming medicine steadily in front of me. I shrug, too exhausted to debate any further, and take the bowl, downing it in one go. After all I am under his roof and I'm in no state to confront him. He might decide to kill me if I really do tick him off.

My body is tense from the pain of the wound on my chest ripping open again. It hurts as if it's being sliced open once more by a blade until you can't tell flesh apart from bone. I cover my mouth, coughing violently, the taste of iron already seeping in my mouth.

Xie Zhen, you fucking cold-blooded asshole. Oh, just you wait 'til I get my hands on you.

Suddenly a hand is on my back, patting lightly, and a handkerchief appears before me. I glance up and meet with Murong Yu's slightly delighted eyes.

I am starting to wonder while wiping my mouth; maybe I've been injured too critically. So critically that I'm hallucinating—Murong Yu is delighted to see a half-dead person?

"Thanks."

He sits back down and I let out a breath of relief. Feeling a bit chilly I pull the blanket in closer.

"How many casualties this time?" I ask.

He takes a quick peep at me. "Not many actually. About half of the Rui troops retreated back to South Hill Pass and the rest surrendered soon after we arrived."

Then a gloomy shadow dances across his eyes. "But that good-for-nothing scum—Xie Zhen, was it?—wanted to get on everyone's good side. He was so annoying so I simply put an end to him."

"What-!"

The shout not only saps all of my energy but also tugs at the gash on my chest. I instantly feel warm liquid oozing out again. In too much pain to speak, I can only glare at him while wheezing.

He raises his brows, eyes full of disdain. "Two-faced scumbags such as him are the most sickening. It does not make the slightest difference whether they live or die."

I watch him quietly not knowing what to say.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't mad that Xie Zhen hurt me this badly but suddenly hearing that he's dead leaves me feeling a bit sad. But I bet there's someone sadder than me. That's the end of His Excellency, Xie Yun's bloodline.

My skull seems to be cracking open from my headache. I pat my forehead and let out a deep breath.

Realizing that I must look miserable right now I turn to him and say, "Hey, it's late and I need sleep. Do you mind leaving?"

A frown forms on his face before I even stop speaking. "This is how you thank the person who saved you? By ushering them out?"

I blink innocently and wrap myself tighter in the blankets. "What a huge coincidence that must've been! The prince himself going down into prison and saving an enemy soldier."

"That is none of your business. What you cannot deny is that I went to the prison and found a dying you, right?"

I hesitantly nod.

"But I guess you have finally got a taste of what it means to be a loyal subject, Deputy General Han." He leers and I catch a sliver of satisfaction in his eyes. "You would rather die than betray your country but who knew, after all the obstructions and hardships you return to Rui only to be labeled a spy and almost get killed by your own countrymen! Tsk, tsk. I am not sure whether to admire or pity you."

"Murong Yu!" I sit up, so angry that I don't even care about my wounds ripping open. "What sort of man speaks with such sarcasm? I never asked you to save me anyway!"

"But you can't deny that you owe me a favor." He snickers as he looks at me.

I glare at him but can't seem to find any good retorts.

"And what now?" He continues casually as if we're only discussing tomorrow's weather. "The country that you pledged loyalty to actually abandons a place they have guarded for decades, retreating with their tails between their legs, leaving behind their own soldiers. Ah...how pathetic."

His words grate my ears.

He shakes his head but the corners of his lips slyly perk up. "Even you, a member of the royal family, the grand nephew of the empress dowager, are abandoned. How pitiful, oh how piti-"

My fuse ignites as he pokes at my scars. I grab a pillow beside me and hurl it at him.

"Don't assume just because you saved me that you can ridicule-"

He catches the flying pillow in midair and flashes an enigmatic smile. "Han Xin, I had thought your looks were the only effeminate thing. I did not know you had a woman's personality too, resorting to this sort of behavior when you're upset."

"You!"

I throw the bowl and it shoots out like an arrow but he sidesteps it. It whizzes past his shoulder and cracks on the ground with a 'clunk'. Immediately I hear shouts from the other side of the door.

"Your Highness!"

"Are you alright, Your Highness?"

"Your Highness, shall we come in?"

"I am fine. Stand down. No one enters without my permission!" He turns and replies then turns back with his usual smile and tosses the pillow back to me. "Just focus on getting yourself back into shape because from the looks of it you could not even escape if you wanted to, let alone anything else."

I mutter through clenched jaw. "O'course I'mma run away, you idiot."

He has just stood up but quickly snaps around and looks threateningly at me. "Say that again."

I refuse to back down from his stare or show any fear even though it hurts like hell. After a while he grins and leans in closer.

"I think I should inform you that I was originally quite interested in your stubbornness. I even did some research on the kinds of punishment that would be harsher. I was somewhat disappointed with your sudden escape but now that you have fallen into my hands once more, I think you will find it to your liking..."

Moonlight files through a window and falls onto the floor like frost. The candlelight, on the other hand, seems much dimmer. A chill runs down my spine as I watch that eerie expression of his.

"You...." The cats got my tongue again and won't give it back.

He laughs quite elegantly with a majestic air enough to entrance tons of inexperienced, extremely shallow and superficial women. He could get hundreds, even thousands of young pretty girls lined up for him if he wanted to.

I wonder if he's married or not.

Because I'm really worried for that woman. 

"Earth to Han Xin."

His voice rings beside my ears making me jump in my seat. Only when I gather my thoughts again do I realize his face is looming right in front of me. I quickly pull away but his body pushes closer.

He grabs my chin forcefully. "You're an interesting one, aren't you?"

Puffs of hot air hit my face making me kind of uncomfortable. But he has a firm hold on me so I turn my face away and wave my hands. "If you want to torture me, fine, go right ahead, but at least wait 'til I recover. Please leave now."

He chuckles as if he heard something hilarious.

The pressure on my throat leaves and I gulp for air while glaring loathingly at the culprit for my near-suffocation.

He paces slowly to the door, sparks dancing in his eyes but no words coming out. Then he leaves with a grin.