The King's Dancer

Chapter 27

The journey back to the palace was quite the event.

Xie Lian had no trouble at all with the child in his arms, but Hua Cheng really had his hands full with the brats; though the dogs were still incredibly docile. The boys were kicking and screaming insults, as well as threats, and Xie Lian was honestly impressed that Hua Cheng managed to stay as calm as he did through all of it.

Once they were in sight of the guards which they had confused when leaving not too long ago, they came rushing towards them, no doubt in order to help the king lose his baggage. However, the boys seemed to utterly misjudge the situation.

"Guards! Thank god there are guards! Help us! This crazy guy is kidnapping us! He said he wants to eat us!", one of them yelled at the top of his lungs.

The guards ignored him completely, and bowed to Hua Cheng.

"Your Majesty, how may we assist you?", one of them asked.

"Take those brats, tie them up and have Mu Qing have a talk with them. I want him to report to me in the throne room when he's done. No rush", Hua Cheng ordered, and the guards immediately listened, three of them coming forward to apprehend one child each. The boy that had yelled so loud earlier looked utterly dumbfounded at this turn of events.

"And what about those dogs, Your Majesty?"

"Have Lang QianQiu estimate how dangerous they are, and if they can be useful in any way. Kill them if they are dangerous, throw them back on the streets if they aren't useful", he decided, and handed another guard the leashes. Xie Lian had always liked animals, and hoped that at the very least, the dogs wouldn't have to be killed. After all, it wasn't their fault if their masters had trained them to become such beasts.

Feeling a little depressed, he couldn't help but sigh. It caught the attention of the guards, as well as Hua Cheng's, and they all looked at him.

"Xi- Gong-... Your Highness, should we take that child as well?", one of the guards addressed him, and while Xie Lian found it quite funny how he'd stumbled through the initial address, he was surprised 'Your Highness' was what he'd settled on.

"That's fine, I'll bring him to the infirmary myself", Xie Lian answered.

Hua Cheng accompanied him there, so Xie Lian used the opportunity to ask him.

"How come I'm 'Your Highness'? Surely I shouldn't be addressed like that before we're m-married?", he asked, and couldn't help a blush spreading down his neck.

"I'm actually quite pleased that's what he went with. After all, getting married is only a matter of time, no? I certainly don't plan on ever finding another mate after you. Because there won't be an after you for me. So I don't mind at all if they are a little hasty in calling you that. At least they show you the respect you deserve."

Xie Lian was much too flustered to reply to that properly.

"L-let's talk about this later. Look, we're almost there", Xie Lian sputtered, and sped up his pace to escape having Hua Cheng see the full extent of his blush. His alpha laughed, but there was only fondness in it.

When they entered the infirmary, Shi QingXuan was talking to someone in the entrance area, and once he saw the child in Xie Lian's arms, mirth entered his eyes.

"Xie Lian, haven't I told you already? You really don't need to keep finding injured kids if you want to come see me", he laughed.

"This isn't the time", Hua Cheng said, sounding rather prickly, and put a hand on Xie Lian's back, gently pushing him to keep walking.