The House Of Bloody Lotus

The Goodbye Kiss

So, what does a girl do when the man she loves tells her he wants to marry her?

I don't know...

Of course, I was excited, and it came as a surprise, but I was overwhelmed. There were so many things happening. With him leaving, and me fearing for his safety, my concern over my brother. My endless stress about my family...

There're so many things firing up at me at once that I couldn't disentangle my thoughts properly. So, I just stared at him, eyes shining. It didn't help that most times, I couldn't decipher his expressions as well. Prince Wang Jian was a pretty stoic man, he's hard to read, emotionless, and quiet.

He blinked and I think, he might've been waiting for a response.

Lord Chua Chanshin, strutted his horse closer and bent to my ear. He whispered, "that's when you start to gasp and act all excited. It would help if you pretend to faint."

"Leave her Chanshin and let her process things on her own." Reprimanded prince Wang Jian.

"Yes, your highness." Chanshin inclined to a bow and backed away.

"My p-prince..." I stammered, my words unclear and unsteady from my throat.

"My lady." He murmured with quiet tenderness and gave his hand to me. I grabbed on to it as he reeled me into his mare with one great effort and straddled me facing him.

We were so close that our legs touched. I had no choice but to rest my legs over his. His legs were hard, muscular and it made me nervous. Being like this on a horse - with him - our body so close to each other, our heat spilling on each other. I could smell him, the tang of chestnut on his breath.

Then my eyes glided over to his lips, and I knew right then what I wanted.

He smiled, his lips pulled to the side, an all too handsome crooked smile that made my chest tight. I expected a romantic first kiss when his lips landed on my forehead instead.

Even lord Chua Chanshin let out a sigh of disappointment. It was like being let up to a dramatic climax only to be let down at the end. "What the heck was that?! You missed her lips by a few inches!" Lord Chanshin protested.

"Go away, Chanshin. This isn't one of the pornographic show you enjoy attending." Prince Wang Jian said.

Lord Chanshin let out another sigh before leading his horse somewhere else.

He kissed my cheek and grabbed the wisp of hair that gone astray from my ponytail, tucking it behind my ear. The wind was soft this morning and the chill was just right. It was a perfect day for a journey, and a perfect day for confessing feelings, and marriage proposals.

"I would like to kiss you, but I don't want to take it unless I know I'll be rewarded with your hand in marriage. There's still this trust I have to mend between our clans." The prince muttered.

I nodded. "It seemed so complicated. The politics, I mean." All I wanted was the first kiss, and his politics is making me a whriter with anxiety.

"Do you want to marry me, He Lian?"

I don't know what prompted him to ask that question, I thought it was obvious I was in love with him. "Of course, I do." He was so foolish, slow, and he dragged this on and on that it made me so frustrated. I grabbed his neck and slammed my lips into his. Taking his lips myself.