1. Watching From The Sideline

"Lights out!"

The command echoed throughout the palace as it was followed by a resounding trumpet.

The moon was overhead, shinning so brightly illuminating the dark roofs of the visible red-brick palaces of Wu Kingdom. No soul was supposed to be seen wandering aimlessly on the sacred premises, except the soldiers standing on guard and servants waiting in front of the two specific closed thick doors.

The sprawling, extravagant imperial palace was at the centre surrounded by many other small palaces that had yet to extinguish the lamps and candles as per the usual curfew.

The emperor's sleeping quarters was the only exception, still brimming with unrestrained light and lit with fragrant candles to aid during the passionate night.

One could see intimate movements depicted from within the room, through the vevelt curtains which covered the screens. A pair of silhouettes tumbled and spun around as if they were dancing to some exciting rhythmic tune. Some time in between the guards standing outside could here some muffled groans and some erotic moans. However, the ones inside could hear everything more distinctly and watch everything very clearly.

Lui Xian, a man in his early thirties, was one such a man who was witnessing the unspeakable.

He has very long and silky black hair that reached his back but was usually tied in a neat ponytail. And he made sure it didn't get messy. Whenever he wandered around and did his duties, he always looks after his appearance, especially when he is in the palace.

This spirited gentleman has been paying attention to everything with his dim brown eyes. That had started to accumulate some moisture after staring at the scene occurring in front of him unblinkingly. His tanned skin had also become very red hot maybe from the erotic interactions below or probably from a too familiar feeling within his heart.

He stood upright with his six feet tall body almost touching the roof. He wore dull black clothes and a golden embroidered mask covering half of his face from just below his eyes. He had a sword at his waist that he kept clutching when it got too intense between the couple on the bed.

"....Ah...." A warm erotic scream filled the whole room before it was muffled in a kiss. Pale arms wound around the thick muscular back, holding tightly for support. The nails dug deep as if they were thirsting for blood.

"My Liege...please....some more..ahh." A faminine voice managed to say when the woman was released from the ferocious kiss. She was struggling to breath, her pants, arousing the man more.

The unfortunate good looking man found himself staring attentively at the familiar scene through the slightly covered red curtains hanging at the sides of the bed. Apart from hearing everything he could also see the two stark naked bodies entangled together so that no space was left in-between.

Their union twisted and pricked his heart to a greater extent. At first when he was only seeing them mess around, his heart felt like it was suffocating and sinking after constantly hearing several moans. Then when he watched more, he clutched his chest wanting to lessen the pain.

The two lovers below continued groaning, purring whilst rolling between the sheets not even carrying for anything in the whole wide world.

It wasn't the first time he has witnessed all of this happening. Each day when he is on duty he dreads this time when he is watching something he longs for very much go away from his reach.

He had admired the elegant son of heaven for quite some years now. It is safe to say he had entered the palace for his sake. Going through the difficult training from being a mere commoner to being the secret royal guard who was always by his side. But it hurt so much to see the man he yearned for indulge with hundreds women each and every shift he is on. Sometimes he wonders why he had fallen in love with this man of all the people.

It was more than ten years back in the city when he was drinking with his friends at an Inn called Hulin. It was just after his twentyeth birthday and his friends had dragged him out to play. They had raced each other in the woods, letting their horses gallop at an unbelivable speed. Feeling the wind rushing past by, and letting the excitement tingle his every fibre of the body. It was one of those days he liked very much.

"Xian I have heard you earned lots of ingots from that previous trade." He listened to him talk as his mind flashed back on the day he sold all of his things, before he was interrupted by his other companions.

"Buy us some wine!" They echoed. Their boisterous voices filling the whole area. Some curious gazes fell upon them.

Lui Xian didn't even get a chance to refuse. He stood up and went to order at a wine stall a few steps away from where he was sitting. At the time when he was ordering at the counter, a glimpse of shimmering light passed by.

He ran after it and caught up to a man probably in his late teens, walking at a distance with three skilled men behind him strolling leisurely without any worry in the world. He had a smile on as he walked and hopped just like a little rabbit. His ink-black hair falling as if following behind his every step. His embroidered blue robes making swishing sounds that everyone seemed to naturally ignore as they focused on their own things.

What mostly caught Lui Xian's heart was the way the other moved from one station of food tents to the other, tasting delicacies so excitedly. And also the way his sharp azure eyes kept shifting from one place to the other. At that time he had an urge to stand up and carry the other person to his home.

Later on, he was shocked and disappointed when he discovered that the man who was stealing his sleep at night was the famous crown Prince of Wu kingdom. The sun that was out of his reach.

Lui Xian felt very dispirited knowing that he had no chance at all. It was the first time to feel attracted to the other with that kind of feeling. And unfortunately there wasn't any opportunity to act on it. He spent many days at his manor, his mind filled with that one beautiful sight. He couldn't eat propely. And also he spent most of his time feeling very sleepy and listless.

It was like that for half a month before he heard good news from his friends, telling him that the palace was in the process of recruiting people to aid in the army. He had happily signed up and was very eager to meet his fancy. He spent years training so that he could be beside him forever. When the other took the throne he was by his side in every step of the way.

At times like this, watching him going further and further, he wonders almost every night, "When am I going to get my happy ending?"