Thorns of Love

Chapter 7

A week had passed since the battle, a week filled with a suffocating silence that hung heavy over the fortress.  Jiaxin remained unconscious, her body a fragile vessel, her life force slowly ebbing away.  The poison, a relentless predator, had claimed its prize.

Xunlei, the man known for his stoic demeanor, his unwavering resolve, was now a shadow of his former self.  The icy facade that had always shielded his emotions had shattered, revealing a vulnerability that shocked even those who knew him best.  He spent his days by Jiaxin's bedside, his hand clasped tightly in hers, his gaze fixed on her pale face, his heart aching with a pain he had never known.

Her body was becoming colder, a chilling reminder of the inevitable.  The once vibrant warmth that had filled him with such joy was fading, replaced by a chilling emptiness.  The whispers of despair, the hushed conversations about her fading life, were a constant reminder of the reality he was desperately trying to deny.

Countless physicians had come and gone, each one bearing the same grim prognosis.  Their words, though spoken in hushed tones, were like daggers to his heart.  "She can't live.  She will never wake up."  He had dismissed them, his anger a shield against the truth, but their words echoed in his mind, a constant reminder of the darkness that was closing in.  Each day, he clung to the hope that she would open her eyes, that she would smile, that she would be back in his arms.  But with each passing hour, that hope dwindled, replaced by a growing sense of dread.

                          Xunlei POV

I was by her side every day, a silent vigil, my heart a heavy weight in my chest.  I hoped that when she finally woke, I would be the first face she saw, the first voice she heard.  But with each passing day, her body grew colder, the warmth that had once filled me with such joy fading into a chilling emptiness.

"Wake up," I whispered, my voice hoarse with emotion. "I'm here, waiting for you. I will never leave your side again.  Just wake up, and I will give up everything I have for you.  Just wake up, please."

I refused to accept the grim pronouncements of the physicians.  There had to be a way, a cure, a miracle.  I wouldn't let her go.

"I will do everything, anything, just to be with you again," I uttered, my voice breaking with despair. "If you die, I'll follow you.  I would do anything to keep you by my side."

I held her tightly, my fingers tracing the lines of her face, committing every detail to memory.  If only I had known you sooner, I thought, my heart filled with a bitter regret.  Ying had told me everything, the reasons behind your desperate plea to the Emperor to marry me.

You had seen the insidious plan of your family, the Prime Minister's mansion, their ambition to control the throne.  They had sought to marry your sister, Zhao Yan, to me, knowing that my ascension would solidify their power, making her the Empress.  They wanted me to be their puppet, their pawn in their game of power.  You had opposed them, your mother had opposed them, and for that, they had targeted you, poisoning you and your mother, their hatred a venomous force.

I held her tighter, my resolve hardening.  I wouldn't let them win.  I wouldn't let them take you from me.  I would finish them off for you.  I would avenge your suffering.  So please, wake up.  Please.

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                            Ying POV

The third prince, her husband, remained steadfast by her side, his face etched with worry. Two weeks had passed, and she still hadn't stirred. The camp buzzed with concern, urging him to rest, but he wouldn't budge.  His love for her was as unwavering as the mountain peaks, a testament to a bond forged in the fires of devotion.