TIAN GUAN CI FU Fan fic stories

THE PRINCE & THE ROYAL GUARD

1ST PART : A PRINCE'S CONSORT

He watches Xie Lian pick a plump cherry and place it in his mouth. Xie Lian's tongue, pink and gleaming with spit, lulls ever so slightly between his red lips before they close on the cherry. Hua Cheng watches, entranced, while Xie Lian's tongue works the cherry between his teeth to remove the pit. Xie Lian's cheeks, blushed pink under the summer heat, puff as he attempts to dig the pit out as discretely as possible. A prince, after all, must maintain composure and decorum. At least that's what Hua Cheng has been told by Xie Lian himself, or heard Xie Lian's teachers recite over and over again; usually when Xie Lian has been caught doing something particularly un-princely. But all Hua Cheng can think about is the various other things that might go inside Xie Lian's mouth.

It is summer. The gilded palace is alive with servants scurrying down halls, large baskets full of ornamentation tucked in their arms are to be prepared for the prince's birthday, still a month away. The finest meats have already been reserved, along with countless other precious ingredients that will be transformed into a banquet upon the day. Already, expensive gifts from lords across the land have started pouring in, and guards take coffers breaming with golden jewels encrusted in blood-red rubies and the finest jades to the prince's chambers.

Xie Lian inspects the tree. His eyes search carefully for the perfect fruit. Some are too pale, others too bruised. He rolls a cherry between his thumb and index fingers before presenting it to Hua Cheng."Do you want one?" Xie Lian brings forth the cherry.

Hua Cheng's hand tightens around the hilt of his scimitar. His knuckles must be going white with how tight his grip is. The carvings, intricate and far too exquisite for a simple guard, dig into his palm. He tries not to think about the fact that it was Xie Lian who had gifted Hua Cheng the scimitar upon Hua Cheng's graduation from the military academy. He tries not to think about all of the other things Xie Lian gives him so readily.

Hua Cheng shakes his head. "Those are for Your Highness alone."

Xie Lian frowns. "What's the use of having all of these cherries for myself? Come, have one. Feng Xin and Mu Qing often do."

"Feng Xin and Mu Qing are Your Highness's friends." Hua Cheng reminds bitterly.

"Are we not friends?"

They aren't supposed to be. Hua Cheng is a royal guard stationed at the palace after completing his military training. He is aware most no-name officers like himself are sent to border territories to keep the peace, but he had been requested at the palace, instead. He isn't even Xie Lian's personal guard, either. But Xie Lian continuously finds a way to locate Hua Cheng wherever he is stationed that day. Just as he had when the two were young.

Xie Lian had caught Hua Cheng, who usually hid in the stables while his mother worked in the palace kitchens, trying to pet Xie Lian's new foal. A young horse, purebred, with hair so white he almost glowed under the summer sun. Hua Cheng had been prepared for punishment, and instead would come to spend the rest of the afternoon hearing Xie Lian talk endlessly about the many adventures he would have with his new horse. The two were eight and ten, and from entirely different worlds.

Over ten years had passed.

Hua Cheng smiles wistfully. "That's not what I meant."

"Then? Will you take it?" Xie Lian extends his hand again. The cherry is a vibrant red between his pale fingers.

Hua Cheng remembers that Xie Lian is a prince. A beautiful prince. One destined for greatness, and beloved by his people. Xie Lian will go on one day to become emperor, and he will undoubtedly take on concubines, which will give him heirs. He imagines Xie Lian presenting cherries, other sweets, and maybe even himself, into another's expectant hands, and wonders if even then Xie Lian will find a way to sneak out into the night to talk to Hua Cheng about the stars and swords until either Feng Xin and Mu Qing have to drag him away. He wonders for how long he can go on simply existing at the periphery of Xie Lian's life; a place where Hua Cheng is only allowed to look, but never touch.