The Dragon and The Phoenix: A Love Story

Sudden Attack

They hardly said a word to each other once they arrived back. Yin Zhen had to bid farewell to his Lady since he agreed to join his brothers in a celebration of the completed ritual.
He heard a commotion about where his older brother was, but thought nothing of it at the time.

As he sat with his brothers, who drank wine instead of tea, he couldn't stop thinking about his Lady.
It had all happened so quickly but it felt so right. She felt more incredible than he could have ever imagined.
Of course now he had to worry in the back of his mind if he had screwed everything up. She didn't stop him but he should have been the sensible one. Looking back, he knew that it would have been impossible. The way her clothes clung to her body, the way her face looked so flushed and carefree being caught in the rain in the woods with him...
He had to stop thinking about it before he got too lost within his thoughts. Suddenly, a masked ninja appeared.
"Look out!"
The Princes were all caught off guard but they quickly stood up and drew their swords.
Yin Zhen's heart was pounding as adrenaline overtook him. He had to go find her.
He quickly left everyone behind to go get his sword. He got his weapon in record time and sprinted towards where she would be.
His training would be put to the test tonight.
Slashing through countless assassins as his own men helped him battle. He could hear his brothers cry out in agony but he didn't have time to help them. He needed to go save her. He should have brought more help, even if he would have been questioned about it. His Father was already beginning to suspect that he was courting the Lady, but he flatly denied it and insisted they were just friends.
He should have never brought her with them. He had endangered her and now she could be dead.
"Run my Lady!" He heard a voice scream into the night.
She was still alive. Now he had to get to her.
"Go seek the others I'll take care of then here!" He commanded his comrades as they quickly sprung to action.
As quickly as he could he eliminated the goons surrounding him. Across from him, he saw his Lady panting and whimpering as she was forced to stop from her fatigue. Not far from her was the man chasing after her. He closed the distance between them and killed him with a powerful slice. He dropped to the ground lifeless.

Instead of relief, Yin Zhen could see his Lady was horrified. Her eyes were darting all around the place.
"Was it you?"
A loud strike of lightning cracked in the distance as he weighed her words.
"What?" he said.
"This was your doing, wasn't it?"
A pain in his chest caught him off guard. Was this heartbreak?
"Am I that unworthy of your trust?"
She stared at him with an expression he couldn't read.
"This excursion was entirely your idea. You were in charge of all of the arrangements. And with three of your brothers here, it would be the perfect arrangement!"
He waited for her to continue.
"Everyone except 3rd Prince are dead, aren't they? And you will frame the 3rd Prince to make it look like this was all his doing! Killing three birds with one stone!"
She was convinced of his guilt. He could see it in her expression.
"I should have known!"
She began to back away from him.
"Why did I ever trust you? Why did I fall in love with you? I should have never-"
He grabbed her forcefully and glared at her.
"I should say the same thing to you!"
He kissed her, hard, then quickly pulled back.
"Even if I wanted the throne, I would never do anything that would put you in danger! Do you understand?!"
She teared up, overwhelmed.
"Over there!"
He snapped his gaze over and surely enough, more assassins were coming over.
He grabbed her and he used martial arts techniques to quickly get them to the roof.
The rain began to pour down, but he didn't dare to let her move away from him.
"I'm here, (Y/N). I'm not going anywhere."
He could feel her heart pounding as she clung onto him.
"So what has happened to everyone?"
"I don't know...I had to leave my brothers behind while I sent for some of my men help take care of the assassins around your quarters."
"Did you...come back to save me?"
"If I said yes, would you believe me?"
She nodded, biting her lower lip. Her heart felt full of regret from what she said to him...