A Love Written In The Stars

The emperor let out a weary sigh, his body aching from the stress of the day's trials. He looked up at the sky which mirrored his mood, thick clouds gathering ominously as if in mourning, hinting at an approaching storm.

All the hunters had returned, their faces aglow with triumph and relief—except for Cheng. The emperor's eyes stayed fixed on the horizon, clinging to the faint hope that his son would appear through the deepening gloom. He had delayed the ceremony as long as propriety allowed, willing time itself to yield to his silent prayers. But nature, unyielding in its course, forced his hand as the first drops of rain started to fall.

With a reluctant exhale, he rose from his seat and raised a hand, "Summon the heralds," he commanded. "Inform our esteemed competitors that the hunt has ended. They may return home and await word of their master's safe return."

The royal guards bowed deeply in acknowledgment, hastening to spread word of the decree.

As the message reached the people, they began heading to their respective homes, leaving the hunting grounds quiet.

At dusk, there was still no sign of Cheng and the emperor could find no peace. He paced back and forth in the grand halls of the palace deeply worried.

Finally, he stopped, his voice sharp and commanding as he addressed the guards kneeling before him. "Search the forest," he ordered. "Turn over every stone, every branch. Do not return until the crown prince is found."

The guards bowed again and hurried off to carry out his orders.

The eunuch, keenly attuned to the emperor's turmoil, stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty," he began softly, "Please, allow yourself the rest you so greatly need. Trust in the skill of your guards. Their unwavering dedication will surely bring the crown prince back to us."

The emperor stood for a moment, his worry clearly written across his face, but eventually gave a faint nod. With gentle persistence, the elder eunuch guided him through the dim palace corridors, leading him toward the solitude of his chambers.

——— Back At The Cave

Mei's Pov

Cheng sat close by, popping the fruits I had painstakingly collected, the firelight danced across his face, casting highlights that made him look serene.

I couldn't help but stare. I searched his face for any trace of the madness I had witnessed earlier, but all I saw was warmth—an almost unbelievable kind of calmness. Then he blinked at me, catching me mid-stare. I turned away quickly, trying to pretend I was interested in the flames, only to turn back moments later. He was smiling now, just a little, as if amused by my silence.

Did he really not remember his wild outburst? That fit of chaos?

"What's on your mind?" he asked softly and curiously.

I hesitated. Should I tell him? Could I? If he truly didn't recall what had happened, was there any sense in dragging it back up? Probably not. And honestly, how do you even start a conversation like that? Hey, remember when you went completely berserk and scared the life out of me? Yeah, no. Not happening.

Instead, I forced a smile. "Nothing much. You had a terrible fever earlier, and I was worried about you. That's all." It wasn't exactly a lie, but it certainly wasn't the full truth either.

"I feel a little better now," Cheng sighed, finally setting the last fruit aside. I could tell he was trying to act casual, but exhaustion was still written all over him. I didn't want to make a bigger deal out of it, though.

I needed a distraction, something to lighten the mood, so, i decided to pull out one of my favorite tricks—telling one of those exaggerated, ridiculous stories from my childhood. You know, the ones where you just stretch the truth enough to make things sound way more exciting than they ever were.

"When I was a kid" I started."I.. I accidentally got locked in the stables for a whole day. It was the middle of summer, and I didn't realize how hot it was getting. I thought the horses were whispering to me, you know, giving me advice on how to become a legendary warrior..." I paused for effect, making sure Cheng was still listening.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to make sense of what I was saying. "Horses giving you advice, huh? And what exactly did they say?"

I grinned, already having fun with this. "Oh, they told me that the best warriors drink horse milk... straight from the source. So naturally, I tried it."

Cheng blinked, leaning forward a little. "And? Did you become a legendary warrior?"

I made a dramatic face, "What do you think?"

"I ended up with a stomach ache for days!" I finally said.

A small laugh finally escaped him, and I could tell he was enjoying my ridiculous tale. There was something about telling him these silly stories that felt fulfilling. He wasn't just hearing the words—I could tell he was picturing the whole mess, probably imagining a younger version of me trying to act all serious while talking to horses.

"You never cease to amaze me," he said with a smirk, clearly enchanted by my ridiculous enthusiasm.

The storm outside roared, but inside, we were in our own little world. It was nice, in a way, to see him so relaxed. I couldn't help but feel a little proud of myself for making him smile, maybe I wasn't all bad at this whole "keeping people entertained" thing.

Cheng sat a little straighter, his eyes drifting away from mine, as if the words were difficult to pull out. "You know," he began quietly,"when I was a kid, I once failed a really important test. I was supposed to impress the scholars, make my father proud." He paused, his fingers tracing the edge of the fire, avoiding my gaze. "But I didn't. I failed. And, well..." His voice became low, like the memory was something he didn't want to fully touch.

"My father was furious," Cheng continued, his voice a little flat now. "He was angry, and he ordered me to be punished."

"... and, of course, I tried to escape. I thought if I ran away, disappeared for a while, I could avoid whatever came next. So, I tried climbing out the window. Silly, right?" He let out a small, dry laugh, but it didn't sound amusing. It just sounded... empty.

I waited, unsure if I should say anything but he didn't stop. "They caught me, and brought me back in front of my father, then they had her brought in. My handmaid."

I could feel the shift in the air as a knot tighten in my stomach. The lightheartedness from earlier faded quickly, replaced by a cold, sinking feeling. I didn't want to ask, but I had to. "What happened to her?"

His eyes darkened, and for a moment, I saw—guilt, but he brushed it away quickly, his voice trying to stay casual. "She took the punishment for me. They flogged her right in front of me. I—I couldn't do anything. I was too scared to stop it."

"She... she didn't fight back?" I managed to ask, I couldn't imagine anyone taking that without screaming, without fighting.

Cheng shook his head, "No. She didn't cry. Not once. She just took it. Like it was nothing."

But I knew it wasn't nothing. The way he spoke, the way he said she didn't cry—it wasn't because she was strong. It was because she had no choice.

"And then?" I asked, the question coming out before I could stop it.

"Then," Cheng said softly, "she collapsed. Right there, in front of me. And that was when I noticed blood—" He stopped.

"That's awful," I said, my voice a little shakier than I meant it to be. "That—"

But cheng shrugged, "It was a long time ago. She was just doing her job, and I was a stupid kid."

"Still, it must have been hard, having to live with that guilt."

Cheng didn't answer right away. He stared into the fire while his face was unreadable.

Eventually, he looked at me, his eyes soft now. "It taught me something, though. Every decision I make, no matter how small, has consequences. Sometimes, those consequences are worse than anything you could ever imagine."

I wanted to tell him that it wasn't fair—that he didn't deserve that. But the words wouldn't come. All I could do was look at him, trying to understand. And yet, somehow, I couldn't.

"It wasn't your fault," I said, though I wasn't sure if I believed it. "You were just a child. How could you know what would happen?"

But Cheng's face was blank. "I knew enough," he murmured.

The fire crackled between us, the cave completely silent and for the first time, I didn't know what to say.

Then he slowly stood and stepped behind me, and before I knew it, his arms wrapped around me, pulling me close. I stiffened a little but didn't push away. I couldn't.

For a while, everything else faded away, and all I could feel was him.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue," he whispered softly in my ear.

I leaned back into him, feeling the rhythm of his heartbeat against my back and It was soothing. For a while, we just stayed there, the crackling fire in front of us was the only sound, wrapping us both in its glow.

Finally, Cheng pulled away, his arms gently loosened, and he moved to sit beside me.

The shift in the air was subtle, but enough to make me realize how much I had been holding my breath. I glanced at him, and he smiled, his face softening in a way that made my heart flutter. I handed him a skewer of juicy, roasted meat, and his expression brightened.

We ate in silence for a while, the food warm and filling, but my mind kept drifting back to him. I studied his face, noticing how weary he looked despite his efforts to hide it. "Are you feeling better?" I asked. "Has it truly subsided?"

He met my gaze, his smile still genuine, "I'm fine, Mei," he replied. "Your care... it's worked wonders. I feel stronger now."

But even as he said that, I could tell he wasn't fully himself. His eyes were heavy, and his shoulders slumped. I hated seeing him like this, so drained and yet trying so hard to keep up his strength.

"Cheng, you need rest. Please," I urged, gently pressing my hand to his arm. "I'll stand guard through the night."

He hesitated for a moment, but then he gave in with a soft sigh. "Alright, Mei," he murmured, lying down on the earthen floor beside me. His body relaxed into the ground, his eyes closing almost immediately.

I kept my eyes on him for a long time, listening to the sound of his breath, slow and even. I knew he needed this—he needed rest, and I would do everything I could to make sure he got it.

As the night grew darker, the fire's light faded, leaving behind only faint, glowing embers. The storm outside howled fiercely, and a cold breeze crept into the cave, making the air icy.

I watched Cheng closely, noticing a shiver run through his body. Though he seemed calm in his sleep, the cold was clearly getting to him. Worried, I moved closer and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him gently into my embrace.

At first, his body tensed, but then he relaxed, leaning into me, a soft sigh escaped his lips, and the trembling stopped.

I felt mildly comforted as I realized I could give him this moment of peace. It felt good to know I was helping him. I stayed close, holding him throughout the night.