Platonic Lovers

A nightmare chased Prince Wang Jian in his slumber which hasn't happened in five years.

There were times when he was haunted by litter of nightmares in the past, but they had since calmed down and lain dormant in the back of his head.

This was the first night they came back and haunted him. Perhaps, because this is the first night she had been back, and she awakened whatever it is that's been chasing him.

He stirred and groaned in his sleep, the prince tossed and turned, until he awakened. He panted, shuddering covered in sweat as he hurled half way up and turned to his wife.

Her eyes was already open when he looked at her, she'd been watching him, she remembered his nightmares. The fright in his face when he is haunted by them. Sometimes bad enough that he'd snatched her in his arms and held her as though a demon was going to steal her away. He was always scared, so scared, trembling even.

They stared at each other, she can read the unspoken terror inside his subdued eyes. The prince never mentioned anything about his nightmares and after a while she grew tired of asking.

Ying Yue dared not yank him out of his nightmare the way she used to, the way she would have.

They were no longer lovers. Husband and wife - just in title.

Let him drown in terror. She said in secret.

"You're awake." He groaned sleepy and it surprised her how he can sleep so soundly with a woman who just tried to kill him. He must not think too much of her skills or he doesn't think she has it in her to murder him.

"I'm in a lot of pain." She answered flatly. She awakened a long time ago and sleeping on a matless floor does not help her being uncomfortable.

Prince Jian groaned again, he lifted his head and peeked out the window. He imagined dawn is around the corner.

"Sunrise is approaching in about two hours." Murmured Ying Yue silently.

He loosened a breath, and turned his gaze back to her, her face remained stony and unreadable. Not a hint of smile, not a hint of her reserved love for her husband. He pushed himself up, the blanket slid off, and he tightened his robe back in place and put his boots back on.

Without a word, he pulled her up to her feet, one arm on her back and the other underneath her legs. "I'm taking you back to our old bedchamber. I'll send the royal physician to take care of your injuries, but do get some rest Ying Yue, and feel better."

She thought this was strange, Wang Jian never showed her kindness, if he did it was rare, and it was during the beginning of their marriage. She jerked away, wobbling unsteady. She almost fell while Wang Jian placed his hands behind to capture her.

"I see you picked up stubbornness while you're away. Let me help you, I'm not going to do anything to hurt you."

"You've mistaken stubbornness from trust, I don't trust you, Jian."

"...and yet, you still allowed yourself to rest beside me. Come, I'll take you to the bedchamber."

She held her stare and contemplated, wanting to refuse him, but he gave her no option as he swept her under his arms that made her gasp in surprise, before wincing at the sudden sharp pain.

"Sorry about that, I'll make sure they gave you plenty of herbs for pain."

The sun was already pale, and the night is nearly approaching when Ying  Yue awakened. She overslept, and she overslept neglectfully. Her entire body screamed in pain, if she wasn't feeling sore the night before she felt every muscle needing to be loosened and stretched.

Her chest was bandaged properly, and an ointment slick on her neck. They must've treated her with exceptional pain medication for her to vaguely remember a thing, much less, sleep all afternoon.

She drew her gaze around, it had been the same bedroom, the same furniture, the same prince Jian scent clung on the mattress. The room smelled like him...only him, and no one else.

Strange.

Ying Yue thought he would had married his retched concubine by now.

She pushed the thought away, only for it to stubbornly shove itself back.

Being in the bedroom does not help her eliminate these unwanted thoughts.

Unhappiness, her memory of unhappiness came back. Ying  Yue never had too many happy memories with her husband, most are all filled with pain. Even though, she knew she'll be lying if she didn't find herself easily captivated by Wang Jian all over again.

It was easy, it was so easy to love him.

She knew no one else but him. Even in her time outside the palace, wandering around like a peasant she had not fallen in love with no one else. Perhaps, she was holding on to something, or rather, too broken to be fixed again.

There was a knock on the other side of the door, a little too soft of a knock. Ying  Yue made no sound letting the person know she's there.

"Can I come in?" The person asked kindly, sweetly, softly.

She recognized the voice, only the night before this savage feral man had his fingers wrapped around her throat squeezing the life out of her. How lovely...How lovely indeed for Lord Chua Chanshin, her childhood friend came to visit her in her chamber. He must had already found out she was the assassin.

"You may come in, Chanshin." She crooned, not a hint of bitterness in her voice.

The door creaked and he entered, his face tucked away embarrassed. Lord Chua ate away the space between the door and her bed with his strong legs. He carried a handful of welting flowers in his hand, and by the look of them, he must had stopped by the garden and plucked them on his way.

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly, his eyes lifted meeting hers.

She smiled, her eyes met her simper. She was always fond of him, Ying Yue oved Lord Chua unconditionally like a brother. They were the same age, but she'd been betrothed to the prince at a very young age and any hope of romantic relationship was immediately shoved out of the way.

The same way for him. Although he remained single and had not chosen a bride for himself. He'd been raised as a dedicated subject to the royal family and he had not put anything else as a priority.

His hand extended handing her the clump of flowers.

She gathered them into her hands, her smile never leaving her cheeks.

"Umm, listen. I'm sorry about last night."

She chuckled silently. It's funny how a man can turn from a raging beast to the most adorable bear the next. Her head shook while his remained tucked. "Look, you were doing your job plus you didn't know it was me."

"I know but..." His eyes shifted to her bandaged torso and considered her broken rib, then to her neck, the black and blue discoloration that wrapped around her neck in shape of his fingers. He swallowed, all blood drained out of his face, Lord Chua Chanshin plunged his head back down and his eyes to his feet again. "I'm really sorry, I could've snapped your neck."

"Don't worry about it, you didn't kill me and if I was fighting you for real, you wouldn't have been able to keep me immobile." She winked. "I wasn't after you last night. I was after Jian."

His eyebrow lifted, sweeping his dark eyes on the bed, his silent curiosity screamed at her, and it only made her laughed.

How the heck did she wind up in bed with Prince Wang Jian instead? Most likely was his thought.

She gave him no chance to know what happened, only smiling mischievously. "Oh, Chanshin. I'm so glad to see you again." She crooned.