AN: Yeah, right. You're not going to read this any more than you would've read one at the beginning of the icy lake chapter. Go read the XingYue proposal since I spoiled its presence last week; you can even skip this opening couple of paragraphs and start reading at "Chu Qiao" if you want. Enjoy.
The black-clad figure stealthily crept up Xiuli Mountain, both blessing and cursing the moonless nature of the night. All he had to guide him was the feeble light of the stars, and even they often had to fight for visibility with the intermittent cloud cover. In the end, the conditions didn't matter; after all, he'd been doing this type of job for most of his life, so what was a little extra adversity?
He felt his way through the forest, thankful that he hadn't come upon anyone else in the woods. His mission was important, and he knew that its success relied upon him not getting caught during this first part. After all, when one was going to pay a visit to a beautiful but deadly woman, caution was essential.
Footsteps sounded close by, and he instinctively ducked behind a pine tree and did his best to blend in with its trunk. While he assumed that what was likely a soldier on patrol wouldn't be able to differentiate between him and the tree trunk, he still rested his hand on his knife just in case. Failure was not an option, after all.
As the soldier trudged past, the assassin reflected on the four parts of his mission. First, he was tasked with observing the goings-on of the camp to the best of his ability. Second, he was to eliminate his target. Third, while fleeing the scene, he was to drop an object his master had given him for this purpose. Fourth, he was to head south and meet up with a contact at one of their hideouts.
The lone soldier's footsteps faded away, and the assassin took his hand off his knife in relief. He knew that the perimeter of the main camp wasn't far, so he sharpened his senses to the best of his ability. His real mission would soon begin, and he hoped that the heavens would smile on him and bring him success tonight.
Chu Qiao suddenly came to again, mentally grumbling about being conscious.
All I'm doing is passing out, staying unconscious for a short time, and then jolting back to consciousness due to the pain. Or the cold. Or…
Her brow furrowed in the darkness as she tried to figure out what exactly had woken her up this time. The agony caused by her chest wound and the bone-aching chill she felt within her were two obvious suspects, but for some reason, her mind rejected them as the ultimate causes of her wakefulness. She relaxed back against the pillow, resigning herself to a restless night of painful existence and fitful rest.
Come on, you wimp, she scolded herself. You've been hurt this badly before—maybe even worse. You've definitely been colder than you are now, too.
She shivered as she remembered the feeling of drowning in the icy lake. The frigid water had rushed into her nose and throat, freezing her insides with every inhalation.
Not that the air I'm breathing now is much warmer, she groused, breathing deeply just to prove her mental point.
Her nostrils flared as her mind identified a scent that she knew couldn't possibly be present, and she wondered if this smell was what had awoken her a few moments ago. Chu Qiao initially dismissed the idea as she didn't know if a person could hallucinate while unconscious.
He can't be here, and yet...Her thoughts trailed off as she inhaled another lungful of Yuwen Yue's distinctive scent in guilty contentment. I know this isn't real and that he's likely convalescing in a cozy, warm tent right now, but I'm going to enjoy this feeling as long as I can.
She settled back down in her bed and did just that, determined to savor every breath she took that her mind insisted smelled like her beloved. Part of her was taken aback at just how much she wanted to believe what her nose was telling her, but the rest of her accepted the completeness of her love for Yuwen Yue without reservation.
As more time passed and the scent's presence did not diminish, Chu Qiao began to accept that her senses might not be lying to her. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she wondered why her beloved hadn't approached her—especially since he would've gone through a tremendous amount of effort to reach her in his current state.
Does he think I wouldn't want him to be here? Is he afraid that I'd wake up when he approached and try to harm him in confusion? Has he only come out of a sense of duty rather than love and is thus content to stand watch in the dark?
Chu Qiao dismissed the last question as ridiculous, unwilling to doubt the depth of Yuwen Yue's love for her at this point in their relationship. After all, he'd returned Can Hong Jian to her with the full understanding of its legend, and Mister Wu had told her earlier that her gift of their handkerchief had been well-received.
Well, you could just call him over, you know, her mind snidely informed her.
She rejected that course of action, suddenly feeling shy in the presence of the man she loved—if he was even really there at all. Her mind conjured up another plan, and she nodded in acceptance. If nothing came of it, then she wouldn't have to be embarrassed about anything more than appearing to have had a bad dream. But if it worked…
Chu Qiao began thrashing around on the bed, doing her best to simulate swimming. She then started softly moaning while acting as if she were shivering.
"Cold, cold, cold," she murmured, listening carefully for any indication of sound.
She repeated this process, trying her hardest to act like she was reliving her time in the icy lake—or in the Yellow River. Her ears barely detected what she wanted to believe were swishing robes and familiar footsteps, but she had to admit that what she'd thought she'd heard might have been the result of wishful thinking. The rustling seemed to be coming closer, however, and the scent of her beloved intensified.
Finally, all sound ceased, and she reacted on instinct, reaching out and grabbing the arm that she somehow knew would be there. Fire shot through her chest in protest, but the rest of her body relaxed in relief as it registered the physical presence of the man she loved. Chu Qiao wanted to speak to Yuwen Yue, but she was too embarrassed about the ruse she'd played to say anything.
"Xing'er," Yuwen Yue whispered softly from the bedside. "You can stop pretending to sleep now."
She grasped his arm harder, glad that the darkness was hiding her blushing cheeks.
"Xing'er, I've slept in the same bed with you often enough to know the difference between when you're really asleep and when you're only faking."
"Who's faking?" she mumbled, burying her face in the pillow.
"X'er," he rasped, whispering her name like a caress. "You can let go. I won't leave you."
Chu Qiao sighed in resignation and dropped his arm—and her pretense.
"I love it when you say my name like that," she whispered, shifting her head in the general direction of her beloved even though she couldn't see him.
"Like what?" he asked, setting down Po Yue Jian and some other things that Chu Qiao couldn't discern in the pitch-blackness of the barracks.
"Like-"
Chu Qiao mentally kicked herself as she realized that she'd somehow gotten herself into the position of having to explain her feelings aloud.
"Like..." she began again, struggling to articulate such a sentimental, intimate concept to her beloved. "Like there's so much emotion in your throat when you say it that you end up squeezing it all out together."
Yuwen Yue said nothing, and Xing'er was glad that her beloved couldn't see the look on her face. She knew that she'd sounded ridiculous, but what had he expected would happen? After all, he knew that she wasn't good at talking about that kind of thing anyway.
She gasped in surprise when she felt a hand on her, and squawked softly in protest as that hand turned into an arm that shifted her effortlessly over on the bed.
"Yuwen Yue! You-! What are you doing?"
He didn't answer, but she could hear him gathering a few things from nearby and placing them near her head. Her eyes widened in confusion as she wondered what her beloved was trying to accomplish. Not that she doubted that his actions had a purpose, but as usual, she was hard-pressed to figure out his plan.
Chu Qiao hadn't believed her eyes to be capable of widening any more, but they did so when her mind identified the sounds of Yuwen Yue removing his outer robe, balling it up, and placing it behind her.
Maybe he's making me a nest out of blankets, pillows, and now his robe, she thought in confusion. Maybe he's going to prop me up so that my chest won't hurt as much as it does when I'm lying down.
"Yuwen Y-"
Before she could question him again, she felt the bed dip slightly as the man she loved climbed into it beside her. She was too shocked to ask what he was doing—or to put up any sort of resistance when he gently pulled her into his lap. Not that she would've put up any resistance had she been able to do so; the feelings cascading through her were indescribably exquisite and made any sort of protest die on her lips.
Chu Qiao relaxed bonelessly against her beloved, reveling in his solid warmth that chased away the cold without and within. His scent was all around her now, and she inhaled it greedily, sighing softly in pleasure. The pain in her chest diminished, although she didn't know whether she was feeling better due to the position change or to the heat she could feel radiating through the relative thinness of her beloved's under-robes.
Yuwen Yue carefully pulled the blankets over the two of them, bringing them all the way up to Chu Qiao's chin. He did his best to smooth them out, his hands roaming over her body in the process and taking their time removing every possible wrinkle. When he was done, he placed his hands first at the top of the blanket and then at his sides, obviously trying to find an appropriate place to rest them.
I might be bad at talking about my feelings, but I'm getting better at showing them.
Slowly due to the pain the motions caused, she moved her hands from under the blanket to outside of it and grasped both of his hands.
"Xing'er…?"
"Shhh."
"Xing'er, don't hurt-"
"Shhh."
Concentrating almost as hard as she'd had to do when she'd used her Ice Martial Arts abilities in the icy lake, she gradually pulled their hands back under the blankets and placed them over her middle. Once Yuwen Yue understood what she wanted, he wound his arms around her and pulled her closer to himself. She placed her hands on top of his and clasped them, luxuriating in the contact.
"Thank you, Yuwen Yue," Chu Qiao whispered, almost in tears. "I was hurting so much, and I was so cold."
Yuwen Yue's arms tightened around her briefly, and she reveled in the sensation of him resting his chin on her shoulder and placing his head next to hers.
"Who says I'm doing this for you, Xing'er?" he asked her lowly, his warm breath tickling her ear. "All I'm doing is protecting my investment."
"Investment?" she murmured hazily through the pleasure engulfing her. "What investment?"
"Have you already forgotten, Xing'er? In the icy lake, you promised to stay with me for the rest of your life. I've already given much of myself to make that happen, so I naturally want to make sure that you have the means to survive for a long time to come."
"Oh," Chu Qiao said, her breath hitching in her chest.
"Ah, now you remember, right?"
"Of course I remember," she said grumpily. "I always remembered. I just didn't know what you were talking about."
"Yes, that's often a problem with you, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said in that pensive voice that always made her grind her teeth.
"Maybe if you'd have been a little clearer...speaking of which, what did you mean when you said you'd already given much of yourself to help me survive? Yuwen Yue, what did you do?"
"Have you already forgotten all of the times I've saved you?" Yuwen Yue asked a little too quickly.
"Is that really what you were talking about, or is there something more?"
Silence answered her last question, and she gripped his hands in anticipation of the answer of her first. It was not what she'd expected.
"Xing'er, how much do you know about your mother's work?"
"Ah?" she asked in confusion. "What do you mean, Yuwen Yue? Are you asking about her leadership position in the Underworld, her mastery of the Ice Martial Arts, or…?"
"Apparently, Phoenix and Mister Wu worked with Luo He in order to develop certain...techniques. Medical techniques."
He paused expectantly, but Chu Qiao had no clue what he wanted her to say.
"So…?"
"So they developed a particular technique that can allow a master of the Ice Martial Arts to take blood from one person and give it to another."
"What?!" Chu Qiao blurted.
"Shh."
"Don't you shush me, Yuwen Yue! Are you expecting me to believe that not only did my mother find a way to do such a thing, but that there was someone...crazy...enough..."
Her throat closed up and tears began to fill her eyes as she realized the truth. The man she loved stayed silent, clearly giving her time to think about the things he'd said.
"There were three of us on the battlefield who were capable of using Ice Martial Arts techniques," she said, trying to speak in a logical way. "At the end of the battle, Xia Chong and I were already seriously injured and unconscious. You were seriously injured but not yet unconscious—and you had the fullest measure of the Ice Martial Arts abilities."
"Correct so far, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said.
"Thank you, Master," she muttered sarcastically. "So Phoenix and Mister Wu both knew how to do this...blood thing..."
"Actually, only Phoenix knew how to do it," Yuwen Yue said.
"And she needed to have the Ice Martial Arts abilities before she could save me," Chu Qiao whispered, tears tracing their way down her cheeks in the dark. "You...You..."
"Yes, I did," Yuwen Yue said. "And I'd do it again if it meant your survival."
"But I gave you those abilities so that you could survive, Yuwen Yue!" she whispered. "How could you-"
"How could I let you die when I knew I could save you? What would my life have been worth then? What is power or blood when-"
"Blood?"
Chu Qiao opened her mouth to question him further, but a soft sob came out instead. Besides, she already knew the truth anyway. The man who was wrapped around her had been willing to give up not only the martial arts abilities that she'd given him but also the lifeblood from his veins. She shook as she tried to contain her sobs, not wanting to make enough noise to bring any of her Xiulis in from their posts outside.
Yuwen Yue tried to move his arms, but Chu Qiao clamped down on them harder. She felt like he was anchoring her emotionally and that to lose his touch would result in a complete loss of composure beyond the tears she was already shedding. He shifted his arms again, and she reluctantly let him go, not wanting to force him to hold her closely if he didn't want to do so.
Maybe he's upset at me for reacting this way to his sacrifice, she thought in dismay, not wanting to add to the considerable amount of suffering that her beloved had already experienced on her behalf.
Her fear was proven baseless, however, as Yuwen Yue only removed one arm from around her waist while keeping the other wrapped firmly around her. She could feel him removing something from the nearby table, and she realized what it was seconds later when he touched the soft piece of fabric gently to one of her cheeks. Chu Qiao inhaled sharply, and the scents of both of them clinging to the cloth registered in her mind as a fresh sob worked its way out of her chest.
"That's not the reaction I was hoping for, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said.
"Sorry to disappoint you," she muttered as he continued to pat her face with their handkerchief. "Next time I'll try to figure out how you want me to react ahead of time so that I'll be able to do so just for you."
"I'm going to hold you to that, Xing'er—sooner than you expect," he said from the dark.
Chu Qiao considered asking him to explain himself, but she simply didn't have the energy—or the inclination to waste her time. Her tears had tired her out, and she knew that she would likely be losing consciousness again soon. She also understood that her beloved would explain himself in due time—if he ever did so at all. Regardless of what he'd meant, one fundamental truth kept forcing its way to the forefront of her mind.
"I can never repay you," she whispered, gasping as the momentary clenching of Yuwen Yue's arm around her alerted her to the fact that she'd spoken aloud.
She stayed silent, not knowing what to say or do. Chu Qiao hadn't meant to actually say that, and now that she'd spoken, she had no idea what his reaction would be or what she should say.
"Actually, Xing'er, there is a way you can repay me," Yuwen Yue said into her ear. "In fact, I've already told you how, but you seemed more inclined to discuss the latter part of my statement than the former."
"What do you mean, Yuwen Yue?"
"As I said, Xing'er, I came here tonight to protect my investment. You promised to spend the rest of your life at my side, and that's the only way you could ever repay me because that's the only thing I want."
"Oh," she said, her eyes beginning to droop.
"That's also not the reaction I was hoping for, Xing'er."
"Sorry, Yuwen Yue," she murmured. "I'm getting tired again. All those tears, and you're making me so warm and comfortable..."
"Well, making you warm and comfortable was one of my goals, so I'm glad I've accomplished that, at least. Now about my other goal..."
"Mm?"
"What's your answer, Xing'er?"
"Answer? To what?"
"Will you stay with me for the rest of your life like you promised?"
"Of course I will, Yuwen Yue," she said, her grip on reality beginning to slip away. "I said I would, didn't I? I can be really useful to you, you know. I could go back to being your bedchamber maid, making you tea using my new Yanbei clay pot recipe and making sure your bed is warm."
Both of his arms wrapped back around her tightly, and Chu Qiao tried to figure out what she'd said to provoke such a response. The haze in her mind prevented her from doing so, however, so she continued rambling on.
"Or I could become one of your Yue guards, fighting with them to protect you and your home. I'm pretty good at that, you know."
"I know, Xing'er. But that's not what-"
"Or I could be the best spy of the Eyes of God like I wanted to before," she said, grasping his hands in hers again. "I'm a really good fighter, and I'm good at getting into—and out of—tight spots. Or I could just fight for you on my own; you wouldn't have to call me anything. I don't really care about things like that."
"No, X'er," he rasped in that way she loved so much. "There's only one position I want you to take in my household."
"What position do you want me in, Yuwen Yue?" she mumbled, trying as hard as she could to stay awake just a few moments more—and to figure out why his arms had tightened around her again.
"Wife," he whispered softly into her ear. "Marry me, X'er."
"Wife," she breathed out right before sleep reclaimed her. "Good. Love you..."
The assassin had easily slipped his way inside the camp and was now ensconced in the branches of a tree at the edge of the clearing that housed both the infirmary and the barracks. From this excellent vantage point, he was able to carry out the first part of his plan without complication.
While he regretted being unable to spend a day or two getting a feel for guard rotations, habits, schedules, and the like, his master had made the urgency of the mission clear to him. He knew that he only had the ability to observe the camp for a while longer before he'd have to make his move since he wanted to be gone well before dawn.
The assassin assumed that the second part of his mission would be as easy as the first had been so far. After all, how hard could killing one wounded, weak woman be—even one whom he knew to be an elite pugilist? While he didn't understand all of the master's instructions and motivations, he knew that this killing was personal for the master in some way. He vowed to do his best for his master—and for the large purse that his master had promised him upon the successful completion of his mission, of course.
Yuwen Yue knew that he needed to rest, but the feelings caused by holding Xing'er in his arms as she slept as well as his uncertainty over her response to his marriage proposal had kept sleep at bay. His mind couldn't stop running over the entire scene again and again, trying to figure out if his beloved had agreed to become his wife or not.
On the one hand, she told me she loved me, but on the other...What exactly does "good" mean, anyway? "Good" can mean many things. Good can mean, "Yes! Of course I'll marry you, my beloved!" Good can mean, "That's nice, Yuwen Yue; I'll think about it." Good can mean, "I'm falling asleep right now and I feel really comfortable."
The spymaster shook his head in despair as he once again considered the terrible timing that he and Xing'er always seemed to have. He'd been certain that he'd have time to propose to her before she'd exhausted her strength, but then she'd had to bring up that whole blood debacle, and his deflection hadn't fooled her. While Yuwen Yue wanted to believe that his suffering was finally at an end and that the woman he'd loved for so long would soon marry him, he couldn't keep his old insecurities at bay.
Did she fall asleep because she was exhausted like she said, or was she just pretending to sleep so that she wouldn't have to accept my proposal—or decline it?
Yuwen Yue knew that he was being ridiculous; after all, had she not sent him their handkerchief with her scent on it and told He Xiao to thank him for her weapons—especially Can Hong Jian? She knew the legend of the sword and had gone out of her way to convey her appreciation for its return.
And she willingly gave up her Ice Martial Arts abilities and her life for you and told the entire battlefield she loved you with what she thought was her dying breath, you idiot, his mind chastised him.
A slight sound out of place in the room brought him out of his musings instantly. Although the motion sent a bolt of agony screaming through his chest, he still managed to pull Po Yue Jian and put its point at the throat of the intruder in the space between two breaths.
"Is that any way to treat an old friend, Yuwen Yue?" a male voice drawled from the darkness.
Yuwen Yue wished that their intruder could've seen the scowl that he'd leveled at him before sheathing Po Yue Jian. Xing'er had awoken suddenly and had asked a few confused questions. He picked the one that would give him the chance to offer the most peevish response to answer first.
"The problem, Xing'er, is that you are apparently receiving visits in the middle of the night from men who want things from you."
"Well, I received you, didn't I?" she mumbled.
"But I'm different, Xing'er," he impatiently explained. "You're going to marry me."
The pregnant pause that ensued did not bolster Yuwen Yue's confidence—especially not with their unwanted guest in the room.
"Oh," she finally said. "So I didn't dream that, then?"
A low, masculine chuckle sounded from the inky blackness.
"Ah, Yuwen Yue, Yuwen Yue. Only you would propose to the woman of your dreams only to have her think she's dreaming when she accepts you. You know, Qiao Qiao, it's not too late to take it all back and marry me instead."
"Who wants to take it back?" she grumbled, making Yuwen Yue's heart swell.
An exaggerated sigh sounded from the bedside.
"Well, I can't pretend that my heart hasn't just been broken into a thousand pieces, Qiao Qiao, but I suppose that the two of you have no choice but to get married given your current circumstances."
"I have no idea what you mean, Xiao Ce," Xing'er said innocently from Yuwen Yue's lap. "Yuwen Yue is here for medical purposes only. He knows how cold this place is, so he wanted to keep me warm. He also knows how uncomfortable sleeping flat on your back can be when you're injured, so he wanted to use himself as a prop for me."
"Had I known that you would've embraced such methods of treatment, Qiao Qiao, I would've gladly volunteered my own services when you stayed at my palace."
"Somehow I don't think your methods would've worked as well as Yuwen Yue's have."
"How would you have known unless you'd have tried them, Qiao Qiao?"
"I'm assuming that you didn't just come here to offer to perform therapy with Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said, his patience at an end.
"Xing'er?" Xiao Ce said in that mocking tone that had set his teeth on edge at the crown prince's palace.
"Yes, Xiao Ce, Xing'er," the woman he loved said firmly from his lap. "At least for Yuwen Yue."
His arms tightened around his woman in love and gratitude. If he'd been sure that Xiao Ce couldn't see in the dark as well as he himself could, he would've kissed his beloved on the back of her neck. Yuwen Yue decided to hold onto that thought for later.
"Very well, Qiao Qiao," Xiao Ce said in resignation from the shadows. "I've come here because my darling sister has put my homeland in a somewhat...sensitive situation."
"If by 'sensitive,' you mean, 'on the brink of war with Wei,' then I would be inclined to agree," Yuwen Yue replied.
"Quite. Her interfering so directly in Yanbei's affairs—and indirectly in Wei's as a result—is a bad look for us, and we'd like to avoid any...unpleasantries."
"Like 200,000 bored, battle-ready Wei soldiers camped outside your gates?"
"To the point as always, Yuwen Yue," Xiao Ce said.
"I'm assuming that you have one since you came here at great personal risk," Yuwen Yue said.
"Yes...well...considering that the last time I was here..."
"You acted like an idiot most of the time?" Xing'er finished for him.
"Thank you, Qiao Qiao," Xiao Ce said. "Your bluntness is, like your fiance's, refreshing as always. Yes, I did act like a simpleton for my personal protection when I visited Wei, but now...um..."
"Now you need our help in convincing the people you hoodwinked into thinking you were mad that you're actually worth taking seriously in order to prevent another war from breaking out," Yuwen Yue said.
"See? I knew we'd understand each other, Yuwen Yue. Maybe I should've just come to see you first."
"Maybe you should have," Yuwen Yue agreed wryly.
"Of course, then I would've missed out on this charming scene as well as the opportunity to be the first to wish both of you good fortune in your marriage-which I will, of course, pretend to be shocked about when I receive the news again in the morning in a presumably less-scandalous way. Have a good rest of the night, Yuwen Yue, Qiao Qiao. I shall leave first."
Yuwen Yue's eyesight was good enough for him to see the mocking bow that Xiao Ce gave them before he left the scope of Yuwen Yue's sight and disappeared back into the darkness.
"Is it too late for us to run away together, Yuwen Yue?" Xing'er asked plaintively.
The spymaster slumped against the woman he loved and almost laughed. He settled instead for pressing that kiss to the back of Xing'er's neck that he'd fantasized about earlier. She murmured in contentment, and he pulled her close to himself again.
"Ah, Xing'er, we are who we are," Yuwen Yue said into his beloved's ear. "We're just going to have to accept that these types of things are going to keep on happening to us."
"Well, then, I suppose it's good that we're marrying each other so that we'll be able to deal with being us together."
"It's very good, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue whispered. "Very, very good."
"I'm sorry I couldn't give you a proper answer when you asked me to marry you, Yuwen Yue," Xinger said, removing her hands from atop his and shifting around a little in an attempt to face him. "Would you like to ask me again?"
"That depends on what your answer would be this time, Xing'er," he murmured, gently helping her to turn around in his arms so that she could look up at him even though he knew she couldn't see him. "Will you change it?"
"You'll have to ask me to find out," Xing'er said, looking up at him with what he could barely tell was that impishly innocent expression that she knew he couldn't resist.
Yuwen Yue took a breath, hoping that his beloved was just teasing him.
"Marry me, X'er," he whispered, dipping his head closer and looking down into her eyes that he was now close enough to see.
Her eyes widened in shock as she realized that he could see into them thanks to his keen eyesight even though it was pitch black. She opened her eyes for him completely, and the love and desire he saw in her gaze gave him her answer before her words did. To his shock, she carefully reached a hand up to his face and cupped his cheek, her eyes unable to hide the pain that such a move caused her.
"X'er..."
"Hush, Yuwen Yue; let me do this."
"X'er, don't-"
"Yes," she said firmly, looking into his eyes with what looked like all of the stars in the heavens on display in her own. "Yes, I'll marry you, Yuwen Yue."
Instead of trying to say anything, he carefully pulled her closer to him until her face was almost touching his. Xing'er ran her thumb over his cheek, and he turned his head slightly and kissed it. He dipped his head the last small distance between them and kissed his fiance tenderly, the pain from his arrow wound not even registering. His bride-to-be didn't seem to care about her pain, either, so he prolonged the kiss as long as he could.
Some time later, a soft gasp entered his mouth from his beloved's. His first inclination was to assume that she was expressing pleasure, but the truth finally penetrated his haze as he realized that Xing'er was in pain. He broke the kiss and placed his hands over hers, which had somehow both made their way to his face.
No wonder she's hurting, he thought, berating himself for his selfish thoughtlessness.
"X'er," he whispered, "I'm sorry. I should've..."
"You should've kept on kissing me," Xing'er muttered. "I'm fine."
"You're not fine, Xing'er," he said, shifting her back into her original position despite her weakening protests.
"Didn't want you to stop," she mumbled, her tiredness and desire both evident in a way that made Yuwen Yue smile in the dark.
"I didn't want to stop, either, Xing'er," he assured her, "but you're hurting and you need to rest—we both do."
Her protest died on her lips as she seemed to recognize the rarity of Yuwen Yue actually admitting to any sort of weakness in front of anyone.
"Rest," she whispered faintly, obviously fading fast.
He pulled the covers back over them from where they'd fallen and wound his arms around her middle. She placed her hands over his again, grasping them as she slumped back against him.
"Love you," she mumbled, this time causing Yuwen Yue to feel none of the confusion or doubt he'd felt the last time she'd said those words right before falling asleep.
"I love you, too, my love," he whispered to his bride-to-be's sleeping form, only beginning to realize how exhausted he was now that his future happiness had been secured.
Yuwen Yue tucked his head next to Xing'er's and inhaled the heady scent of her hair that he'd delighted in smelling on their handkerchief earlier in the day. Someday soon, he'd be able to fall asleep every night for the rest of his life with that same scent filling his senses. That thought brought an even wider smile to the spymaster's face as he felt himself losing his own grip on consciousness. A brief alarm sounded in his head as he began to fall asleep, but the part of himself that he rarely gave free rein silenced it.
Don't worry, oh dutiful, boring spymaster; you'll wake up in time to sneak back down the mountain before dawn.
He vaguely remembered something about a small box he'd placed on a nearby table and his plans to give it and its contents to Xing'er tonight, but his mind brushed those thoughts aside.
Just savor the experience of falling asleep with your fiance in your arms and live a little for once, Ice Cube. Besides, don't you want to be able to fully see the look on her face when you give it to her—and for her to be able to look into your eyes?
Said spymaster wrapped his arms more tightly around the woman he loved and followed her into deep slumber without another thought.
The assassin stepped out of the shadow of the tree, having climbed down it almost soundlessly. He set off in the direction of his target's likely location in the infirmary and slipped into the shadow of another tree without detection.
As he prepared to sneak into the infirmary, he went still as he felt the tip of a blade stick into the small of his back. He briefly contemplated trying to overwhelm his would-be captor, but before he could make a move, a smooth voice spoke softly to him from the darkness.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, friend. You see, I've probably been doing this sort of thing as long as you have, and trying anything untoward would likely result in...unpleasantries."
The assassin gulped and nodded curtly.
"What do you want me to do?"
"See? I knew we could get along," the stranger said affably, belying his friendly tone with another jab of his knife. "We're not going to do anything too scary; we're just going to leave this camp and have a friendly discussion elsewhere."
The stranger's assurances did not comfort the assassin. He had no say in the matter, however, knowing that this man would likely kill him instantly if he didn't cooperate. One thing he'd learned over the course of his career was that as long as you were alive, there was always hope that you could escape.
"I'm sure I'll be able to persuade you to be cooperative and that you won't prove to be an antisocial guest."
Nodding in fatalistic acceptance, the assassin allowed himself to be bound with some rope that the figure had pulled from his robes. He knew that he was unlikely to survive the night, but such was often the fate of one in his profession.
Some time later, Xiao Ce looked up at the stars from the isolated, protected spot in which he'd chosen to set up his camp. Nobody had discovered it—or him—yet, and he and their unwelcome guest had had an illuminating conversation. The crown prince idly rotated the large jade ring that was currently resting on his thumb, working his way through the implications of his late prisoner's last words.
Xiao Ce had been somewhat disappointed in how quickly the man had broken. He'd expected to encounter a bit more resistance from a killer who'd served a master like the one who owned this ring. After all, Xiao Ce had once solicited that powerful man's assistance to protect Qiao Qiao, not knowing that the man obviously held a vendetta of some sort against her as well as Miss Chong.
In spite of his worries, the crown prince smiled as he read the messages gifted him by the heavens. While the stars rarely spelled out specifics, they could give him basic prognostications of wellness or woe in regards to his people, his kingdom, and his friends. The heavens promised trying times ahead, but they also spoke of happiness, joy, and love for those who were willing and courageous enough to take them.
He reflected on the night that seemed so long ago now when he'd tried to discern Qiao Qiao's future and had seen nothing but tragedy and pain were she to try to be with Yuwen Yue. While he'd known that the love-sick man had suspected Xiao Ce of simply trying to keep Qiao Qiao from him, the crown prince had actually been attempting to save them both from experiencing such heartache.
Against all odds, the spymaster and his beloved had finally come together and would surely be married as quickly as would be socially acceptable. Given the position in which Xiao Ce had discovered them, he figured that they would probably marry sooner rather than later.
I didn't believe that old stick-in-the-mud had it in him, Xiao Ce grudgingly admitted. Who'd have ever suspected that the dour, often-expressionless young master of Qing Shan Yuan whom Princess Yuan Chun had actually called "Ice Cube" to his face would be capable of sneaking into his woman's sick bed late at night?
Not that Xiao Ce suspected them of having done anything too inappropriate—at least by his standards, anyway, which he had to admit were somewhat looser than those of others. Yuwen Yue struck him as the type of man who would have his woman on his own prim and proper terms or not at all—and who would never endanger the well-being or reputation of the woman he loved for a few moments of stolen pleasure.
Besides, neither one is likely healthy enough to do anything, fortunately. He's probably already sneaking down the mountain so that he'll be discovered resting innocently in his bed in the morning.
The sudden appearance of his traveling companion pulled him out of his musings. His servant set down a bundle of wood that he'd brought back to feed the fire and approached his master. Xiao Ce instructed him to bring him some heated wine to fight the cold Yanbei air. He couldn't wait to get back to his warm, temperate homeland.
Not that I regret coming, he thought as he sipped his wine. The stars were adamant, after all, and they were right, as always. Had I not sent Xia Chong, had I not left Liang as soon as they told me to go…
Xiao Ce tipped back both his cup and his head as he looked upward, content for the moment to savor his relative victory and to save all thoughts of potential defeat for another day. He knew that he might someday have to fight against the people he'd come here to reason with and help, but for now, what harm could a bit of diplomacy do?
Someday, my people might have to come before my passions, but for tonight—he polished off his wine and handed his cup to his servant—tonight, I'll drink to the stars and the messages found therein.
AN: So there you have it; XingYue's all engaged and warm and comfy. Yuwen Yue will totally wake up before dawn and leave Xing'er's bed, right? Right? Next week: XingYue gets busted; historically-inaccurate fan-service ensues. Two weeks from now: More mountaintop convalescence. Three weeks from now: Recovery at the base of the mountain. Four weeks from now: Wrapping up loose ends in Yanbei. Five weeks from now: Wedding night double-shot epilogue. (Yep, the end is in sight, y'all.)
Musical Recommendation: The song "10" by Elouiz has been giving me XingYue feels for awhile now, and it fits this story—and CQ's current frame of mind-like a glove.
Translation Update: springbreeze has translated half of Ch. 155 of the novel at her blog, darkstarlights dot wordpress dot com. Angel Chua continues to update "Secret Princess" at princessagents dot wordpress dot com.
Also, Adrenaline1217 has written the first chapter of a new story, so go check it out if you haven't already. She's quite young and is new to this crazy fanfiction thing, so be on your best behavior, y'all;).