𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲'𝐬 𝐇𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝 || 敵の旦那様 (𝐁𝐋) ✔ [COMPLETE]

77. No longer a place

"It's time, come out."

When an unfamiliar prison guard- who wasn't the usual guard- came to stand before the cellar, Fu Lin knew it was time; the seventh moon of the week was here. Behind him was a squad of other prison guards bearing spears and silver armour as they stood erect, not an inch unwavering. As Fu Lin got himself up, dusting his robe in the process and coughing up a ball of dust in his throat from the cell, he felt somebody else get ready behind him.

"You—where do you think you're going?" The guard asked as he stopped the assassin from going out.

"What, I can't go visit the General's wedding that's happening outside?" The assassin stomped his feet. "I heard the marriage of nobles within Blazing Sun is open for all commoners alike- including prisoners. So it was wrong?"

"It. Is. Not. Wrong." The prison guard retched his teeth, annoyed. "But the seventh prince's safety before he crosses the border of Kanglun is of utmost importance and we can't afford distractions."

"That works out even well," He said loftily. "The Seventh Prince and I have become quite the buddies while we were in the cell. Right?"

Fu Lin remained silent.

The assassin scrunched his face, "I can see why the General dumped you."

'Dump' was not quite the right word, though it wasn't very inappropriate either; given the under- woven web of context and the delicateness of their entanglement. And in the end, never once did General Haoran make his way to the cellar; a matter that Fu Lin would have thrown to the recesses of his mind if not for the nuisance of the assassin.

"Looks like somebody got dumped." The assassin had made it a form of habit to tease him, "Today too your lover boy didn't come visit you."

Fu Lin simply ignored him because he didn't have the energy or reason to refute him. He no longer cared for the waves of happenings in the General's affairs.

As he walked out of the cellar, his hands were once again bound by a pair of new cuffs, the former cuffs leaving bluish marks on his skin. The guards stood respectfully as he walked to their middle and completely failed in their attempt to contain the assassin.

"Come on weddings are for free food, please I'm tired of prison congee. Also, I'm a skilled fighter. I might help you out if the Seventh prince tries to run away."

And so the prison guards reluctantly allowed him to tag along as they made their way out of the darkened dungeon alleys. Light hit the vestige of their faces in a scalding coil when they reached the execution grounds and everything that couldn't be heard nor seen from the stone hewn dungeon was out there, in plain display. A sweet smell of rose incense, pomelo water, and sandalwood flailed in the air.

The smell of marriage.

The smell of it all never appealed to Fu Lin. He could remember thinking how nauseous it was for him the day he was set to marry the General; the smell. Even now his stomach turned at the smell, stronger than before.

As they made their way across the execution hall and out of it to get to the streets, their ears were deafened by the sudden cry of cheers and well-wishes that erupted from the lips of the men and women lining the marriage procession. During the intersection of the two processions- one of the marriage and the other of Fu Lin's escort guard, Fu Lin's ears vaguely picked up the words uttered by two noblewomen who were on sedans carried by their servants.

"Holy Suns!" one woman exclaimed. "What a beautiful match they make! I can see how pretty she is even through the red veil."

"The General finally gets his proper match," the other woman nodded, "Though it's too bad I couldn't get him to marry into my family, this is still better than the atrocity he was gifted with earlier."

Fu Lin bit his lips, turning a deaf ear to the pointless nothings. However, he could no longer turn to do that when he was forced to listen to the words he didn't want to hear by a sudden wave of silence that overtook the crowd.

"It was in error of my judgement that I did injustice to you earlier, my regal, noble Imperial General," the Emperor said, "I thought my bestowment upon you in the form of a marriage between countries would allow you peace and joy but it ended up almost completely destroying you. Hence I shall ask you again, are you satisfied with this arrangement of mine to have you marry the daughter of the former Minister of revenue."

The emperor's voice was low and vague, mostly coming off as a stilted whisper. But the next words in Fu Lin's ears, despite the noiselessness, picked up in eerie clarity.

"I am, your Imperial Royal Majesty," General Haoran's voice cut through like a blade, "I am completely satisfied."

Loud cheers once again erupted at his words and drowned the entire place, including Fu Lin's own rapid heartbeat.

"Your Highness," The Prison guard turned to look at him, "Shall we reroute and take a shortcut?"

Fu Lin could hardly hear him through the thrum of loud noises. "Yeah..." he screamed so that the guard would get him, "Let- let's... do that."

As soon as his voice died down, the assassin grabbed hold of Fu Lin's shoulders and turned him behind. The assassin's eyes widened.

"You... you look like somebody knifed you a thousand times over," He said. "All this drama, and for what? 'It's not love' my ass! You can stop him, even now."

Fu Lin's eyes were red-rimmed and full of tears as he defiantly looked on. "I can't... I cannot. We do not belong with each other."

Not anymore.

Fu Lin had been conceited. All this time, both he and Haoran had chased the throes of death like it was the only salvation; like it was the most reverent form of martyrdom. However, there was no greater agony and honour than to live and battle for oneself. He was ready for death because he thought Haoran would be his- in both life and death.

But it seems he was wrong.

A sob he couldn't help escaped him. He knew now he had made the wrong choice. Because a pain he couldn't explain tenfold the times, then when he witnessed Haoran die and then when he heard his family died made way to his heart. A selfish pain- but pain nonetheless.

But now he couldn't do anything about it. Because when he turned his head back to gaze at Haoran one last time, he was smiling at his bride, who now held his hands.

It seems he no longer had a place in his heart.

And so he walked away until the noises died and the reverie disappeared. And until all that remained were his unshed tears, not once looking back.

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