A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

Happiness

(PRINCE GUO)

"Yong! Yong!" I sighed as I follow my guard whose ground eating strides were quicker than usual. I think more than I, Yong was shaken by what that old man in the black robe said about his family and about my broken lifeline.

I stopped walking and waited for Yong to realize that I am not following him anymore. Yong has a policy that the distance between us should be at most, 2 feet apart. If it goes longer than that, Yong will not be pleased.

Well, he is a good ten feet away from me now and I am not chasing him. I know it's my pride talking but that's the decision I made. I'm not chasing after Yong.

Yong finally realized that I was not near him so he stopped his angry strides and turned around. I put my hands on the sides of my waist. "What are you getting angry about? Is this because you learned you are not cursed after all?"

"Your Highness," Yong visibly sighed before walking back towards me. We are alone in this road and darkness has fallen. Rain is drizzling as well but I am not worried. I can take a little rain.

Yong stopped precisely two feet in front of me. "I'm not angry at that. Who would be mad if they learn that they are not cursed? I'm happy I won't have to die early but..."

"You are worried about me,"

"That man," he pointed at the temple we just left behind. "Literally threatened your life. He wants you to either worry yourself to deal about evil spirits or dunk yourself in water everyday even if it's winter. He doesn't warn us of your impending doom. He told us ways on how to quicken your death."

"I'm not worried about that,"

"Why not?!" Yong shouted. The loudness startled me. A strong breeze blew as I contemplate the fact that Yong is angry enough to shout. Yong has a calm demeanor for a reason. I think he has a terrible temper.

"Yong, it'll be fine..." I took a step towards him while reaching for him with my right hand but Yong flinch away from my touch and took a step away from me. I sighed. "Are you mad because now that we know you are not cursed, the reason for your refusal to be my lover has melted away as well?"

This is our issue. This is our problem. Yong push me away because he thinks he won't live long enough to protect me from pain and suffering once he died and I'm left alone and devastated. He doesn't want me to commit my life and heart to him because he believed his bloodline was cursed.

Well, now that that excuse has been revealed to be false, I guess Yong has to find another reason to push me away.

Yong stared at me with eyes that bespoke frustration. "I'm mad because you always act like others lives are more important than yours. I thought leaving the Palace and traveling will make you happy but you devote your time doing assignments for the Emperor and fixing other people's lives..."

"That...is not true."

"That man in JiLin. The one who was accused of thievery. You did everything to get his sentence rescinded. Even putting both of us in danger by breaking and entering a residence full of guard dogs." Yong said. "That child in YunLing, a pretty slave meant to be sold to a depraved noble who has a taste for young flesh...you bet our lives in a game of cards to get her to safety. That family in HouShen, who are about to lose their home from a greedy landowner, you deliberately crashed a buggy to that man and broke an entire arm just to make a point."

"Those...I'm just trying to help..."

"You are trying to kill yourself," Yong said. "Sometimes I wonder if you do all that so you can die before me because you think that will make all the difference. Well it won't. There is no escaping the truth, your Highness..."