"How can you betray me like that ?" Xi Lan's heavy voice echoes through the mountains.
"I .. didn't mean to. I am sorry !"
"Sorry ? What you did isn't a mistake that you are saying sorry. You have committed a crime."
San Yi looks at his bloodified body. He can't feel any pain even when he is soaked with blood. Once he read somewhere when one's body geyt the pain beyond his brain's capacity, he doesn't feel the pain anymore. Brain stops working. He didn't believe it back then but now....
"I ... I .. please .. let me go !"
"Of course I will let you go. That's why I brought you here. Just look down. You will know how far you will go once I release you."
San Yi looks down. He is hanging in air at the end of a cliff. "No ... No .. I can be a slave for the rest of my life .. just don't kill me ... please nooooooo.....
"Slave ? How can you even think that I will have an ugly slave like you ?"
"No no ..aahhhhhhhh!"
San Yi opens his eyes in shock. Small sweat drops accumulate on his forehead. He throat feels dry. He gulo to ease the dryness. He..... was.... dreaming ?
San Yi looks around. He is at the end of a cliff, hidding behind a bush. It's dawn which means it's been a day since he escaped Xi Lan's group. Soon after he escaped yesterday, he noticed the guards searching all over the village.
So he had to run out of the village, to this very risky and abandoned cliff . But the guards also came here. He had no other way but to risk his life by hidding behind the last bush.
Fortunately no guards came to this end. San Yi slowly walks in a safe zone with cautious steps. Looks like The guards have left.
A smiles forms on San Yi's lips unknowingly. Now, he can live peacefully. He will get a job in one of the village shops, earn a living then rent a house. It will not be easy but his life was never easy to begin with.
He found a sense of freedom with new sunrise on the mountains. He hunms a song as he enters the village again. He always wished to learn singing. He could have , if not Simi's greed had ruined his childhood.
He sings in a low voice. He was so into his song that he didn't notice the pothole on his way .. "ahh !"
Sanyi closes his eyes in a reflex when his hands were grabed by someone. He looks up with a "thank ..... "
Hairuan looks at the veiled face in front of him. "Consort San Yi !" He replies with a relief.
San Yi tries to release the grip with a desperate protest but Hairuan's grip becomes stronger.
"We were looking for you consort San Yi. His highness is waiting for you. You can't make him wait any longer."
San Yi shakes his head "no ! Let me go. I am not going back , please."
"Why not ?"
San Yi stops struggling when he heard the same heavy voice from his dreams. Now there is no way to escape. He stands still.
Xi Lan's eyes San Yi before noticing Hairuan grip on San Yi's wrist. He raises his one eyebrow at Hairuan.
Hairuan pulls his hand back hurriedly.
"Go back and prepare the carriages."
Hairuan bows and runs back to their group.
San Yi trembles in fear knowing he is left alone with Xi lan.
Xi Lan walks towards San Yi in slow steps "why not going back with me , consort San Yi ? Do you think your ex- husband will take you back if you escape from me ?"
San Yi shakes his head. He never thought of going back to Zi anyway. He would risk his sister's security if he goes back to Zi. He knows that.
"Then ? Do you think you can make a living in this village ? Who would employ you , if I pass a decree ? You have already stepped in Lan kingdom , consort San Yi. This village is mine, it's people are mine.you thought you can escape from me in my village ?"
San Yi's eyes turn teary. He feels like killing himself. Why just sit back and wait to be killed , when he can't escape ?"
San Yi's breath stops as a finger touches his skin under the veil.
Xi Lan smiles softly when San Yi's teary eyes meet his eyes "I am impress with your loyalty towards Zi emperor. But Zi emperor doesn't love you enough, San Yi."
Xi Lan wipes the tears from corner of San Yi's eyes. "I can't escape me even if you want. I can bring you down every time. But that will be a lot of trouble. So, I can give you one offer. If you come with me willingly and be my lawful consort, I will grant your one wish. Anything you want."
San Yi's eyes lit up suddenly. Can he ask Xi lan to not to see his face ?
Xi Lan reads San Yi's expression in an instance. He chuckles "you have to be my lawful consort. You can't ask anything that contradicts that rule. You have to follow each and every duty of my consort."
San Yi's expression fell. Duty of consort means ... Of course , he can't hide his face forever.
"Don't have any wish ?"
San Yi hurriedly holds Xi Lan's hand "can you ... Can you promise me something.."
Xi Lan frowns with a chuckles. For the first time in his life he feels a pull in his heart. Why does this consort looks so pathetic? Every woman and man would be high over hills if she/he gets to marry him.
"If .. someday .. you feel the need to punish me ... Can you make it less painful ?" San Yi asks with hope.
"What do you mean ?"
"I don't want pain anymore. If you have to kill me as a punishment, just give me some poison. I will die in my sleep. You don't have to see me again. Just don't hurt me."
Xi Lan pulls the crying figure in his arms "hush ! you have no idea what you are talking about."
"No, you said that you would grant me a wish."
Xi Lan takes in a deep breath "and that's your wish ? You want me to kill you with poison ?"
"Promise me ..."
Xi Lan finds himself in a tough and confused position. Something is not adding up. Does San Yi has done anything that could make Xi lan kill him ? What's the secret ? He needs to find out.
Xi Lan looks at a the struggling fingure in his arms "ok ! I will never give you any pain of that sort but you have to be a lawful wife. I promise will not stand if you betray me with another man and betray Lan kingdom with another kingdom."
San Yi blinks "really ?"
"I will give you a draft. Is that ok ?"
San Yi nods finally. "Th..thank you."
Xi Lan studies San Yi's veiled face for sometimes. He noticed the relief on the face. Now, he is sure San Yi is hidding something really big. But what ?
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YOU ARE READING
Ugly Slave
Historical FictionHe can do anything for his little sister. If that means replacing her sister in the tiger's cage, he would do it. That's what he did. He wore a veil and replaced his beautiful sister as a slave of one of the arrogant and conceited emperors, the wo...
