Too cool for a villain

That evening Chanshin was invited to the imperial family dinner. Wang Jian kept a continuous rubbing of his fingers on his temple as he ate, he's unusually silent, and Fei Hung hid her smile as she asked him..."Trouble in the palace?"

Wang Jian's eyes narrowed at her. "I'll have you know while the two of you were wandering around like lovers in my own palace, I was stuck in my duties and more."

The palace that's usually full of whispering and chattering servants has suddenly gone quiet, as if the devil cursed everyone's tongue and froze them.

There's a pregnant silence and the lamps illuminating the dining room flickered restlessly, disturbed by the swooshing wind. It was the kind of frightening silence that made most of the servants scrambling for under the table or behind the security of a door.

Prince Wang Jian knew something is happening.

Prince Jungjae, Jian, and Chanshin shot up to their feet and drew their swords while Fei Hung remained planted on her seat, dropping her chop sticks from her long fingers. "What's going on?"

"Get Ying Yue away from the walls and away from the shadows!" Prince Wang Jian snarled to Chanshin.

And without a moment's hesitation, Chanshin rushed to her side, and yanked her out of her chair, dragging her with him to the center of the room.

Her fingers crawled to her own dagger while allowing Lord Chua Chanshin enclose her into his protective hold.

The sting of charcoal swarmed the room, climbing up their noses. Chanshin's grip tightened on her, so tight that his knuckles turned white. Fei Hung drew her curious glance over the entrance where Prince Jungjae had stationed himself and saw his knuckles were as white as Chanshin's gripping on his sword.

And then the music sounded, this time the hum wasn't private to Prince Wang Jian's ears. The person singing it is walking in the hallway, his silent footsteps clicked and emanated, announcing his dramatic introduction.

He was scary and awful enough that he has three of the strongest persons in the palace on their feet and on guard.

And then he appeared, and the singing stopped.

Relish tinctured his subdued face, and with a graceful step, he approached the dinner table and halted a few yards of Prince Wang Jian completely ignoring Jungjae by the entrance.

The heartbreakingly devilish man wore a fine emblazoned clothing fit for a royal.

"Prince Wang Jian." The man crooned and inclined his head to a bow.

"What do you want, Banye?" Snarled Wang Jian with the filthiest scowl.

Banye smiled and placed his hand to his chest. "I do believe you possessed what's mine." He grinned, and something in him turned feral and deadly.

He turned around quick as a flash, he was one Prince Jungjae's face.

"Ah yes, the even more conniving little prince. How appropriate."

"Go to hell where you belong!" Prince Jungjae snapped at him, his voice rasped, his breathing ragged nervously.

"Always fun dealing with you two brothers." Banye said as faced Wang Jian again. "I hope I wasn't interrupting something." Banye continued, glancing on the feast at the table.

"We were in the middle of dinner, get fucking lost." Growled Prince Wang Jian, sharper and angrier than normal.

"How disappointing, and here I thought, I would get invited." Banye purred.

"What're you doing here?" Wang Jian demanded. "You've been prowling on my walls."

"I wanted to check up on my prize, I wanted to see how she's doing." He crooned. "I must say, you did a pretty good job hiding her from me. You had me fooled, so fooled that even I was impressed."

He snapped his fingers and more men came walking in the hallway, there was a sound of a faint whimper to what sounded like a woman crying being dragged. Two men appeared with Fan held in their arms.

Her legs limped on the floor, her hair unbound in an embarrassing mess. Smudge of dirt covered her normally beautiful face, she looked nothing like the beautiful concubine who stays on Wang Jian's side. She'd been held in captivity.

Banye stalked over to Fan, his movement smooth and deadly, he grabbed her by the arm, dragging her over to Wang Jian.

Banye threw her by his feet where she slumped and quickly grabbed on the prince's leg, whimpering and begging for his protection.

Amused.

Banye approached Wang Jian, his steps announced lethal gracefulness. His voice dropped into caressing whisper. "What a pity I have to torture a beautiful girl like her and even worse, she thought you actually love her."

Banye snickered and he was upon Jungjae too fast to follow with the human eyes, growling at his face. "I won't dare lift that sword if I were you little prince."

"Leave my brother alone, your business was with me, Banye."

Fan climbed her arms around Wang Jian's leg. "Please, don't let him get to me, Jian!"

Wang Jian dared not move.

Banye now faced Prince Wang Jian again, his face was amused, his venomous smile drew up on his face. His eyes flickered on Fan and then, finally noticing Fei Hung who was tightly held by Lord Chua Chanshin to his chest.

"Well, well, such a delightful sight we have here." He purred. "So, who's the girl?"

"She's my wife." Snarled Chanshin.

Banye made a show of sniffing the air as though he can smell the lie in it. He snarled. "Have you ever wonder if your – wife – ever sleeps with the prince?" He mused. "Because she reeks with his stink."

Banye's venomous laughter issued, he was on Wang Jian's face in a snap and Wang Jian had to stepped back overwhelmed by him. "I'm impressed. You scheming bastard has me fooled for a long time. For years I prowled in the palace, waited for you to fall in love and when I heard you got married, I thought I hit the jackpot. So, I came over to see if you're in love. I was disappointed, so disappointed to see how cruel you were to your wife."

Banye clucked his tongue and licked his fang. "And for you to pick up a concubine trying to lure me into your ploy." His sinister laugher echoed. "...and I actually fell for it."

His glance teetered on Fan who trembled wrapped around Prince Wang Jian's leg, then made a sweeping move to Fei Hung gliding his sticky glare upon her as though she's a prize he couldn't wait to get a hold of. "This is interesting, very interesting indeed."

Chua Chanshin started backing away, getting Fei Hung out of the room.

"No need to act so hasty." Banye stated. "I only came here to return a fake, but do rest assure. I will come for the real thing next time."

It was his warning.

Banye turned around, his soundless footsteps left no mark on marbled floor, he strolled casually back to the hallway coated with a cloak of darkness, steaming out of his black robe. He was followed by his sentinels as they disappeared into the hallway.