Ning Zhuo's eyes flashed as he looked at Yan Sha.  His fingers moved over to her lips as he pulled them closer.  She pushed him away.  "Crown prince please do not forget your position and your responsibilities." "I have renounced my title and--" "You are the only heir who is level-headed and strong and sure.  Even if you have made such statements, I know the emporer as I grew up hearing stories of his deeds from my father and I was there too at his knee before I became what I am.  I know those people.  There is the true affections of a father for a son, you cannot say no." "I cannot say yes when you are haunting my mind." Yan Sha sighed.  "You have had four more women in the time that we met.  These infatuations are good for no one.  You should go back to the palace and re-marry.  Alliances are a necessity.  Heirs to fight and become bright talents is also a part of our history and traditi

Yan Sha cursed low as she could hear Zaiyuan and Langhua fighting.  Yan Ming had instinctlvely crept into her bed as they could both feel the tension in the house.  The servants were much fewer in this time as it could be easiest to control the flow of information if there were few who could leak it.  All of this, Yan Sha could understand and forgive.Yan Ming was sound asleep beside her, holding onto her sister's body like she was wrapped around a vice.  Yan Sha was comforted and even though she was sitting up and listening to the argument, she did not try to extricate hersef from the hands.  She was past knowing that she could leave a situation and not have people need or want her back.It was inevitable that she knew that she could not sit by as others tried to map out her future for her.  She pushed Yan Ming's arm carefully around a pillow and got up slowly.  It was a telling sign that Yan Ming was not roused by this gesture as sh

"My lord, the time has come for us to drink the ceremonial wine together." Ning Zhuo smiled thinnly as he looked at the face beneath the red cloth.  Her features were perfectly symmetrical and in a sick twist, his father had chosen a girl who resembled his love very closely in appearance.  But there was of course some inperfection on the side of her nose. He wanted to touch it and point it out to her, but he knew these things were not allowed.  His new wife sat on the bed excited as she waited for the gestures that he knew she had probably been brief about by her mother or her (momo) nurse attendant. After the wine was finished, Ning Zhuo stood and quickly kissed the bride on the lips who made a sound of wanting.  He tried really to pretend she was whom he wanted, but as he opened his eyes, it was so alien that he ran outside and vomited heavily.  As he continued to vomit, he realized that he was vomiting blood. As he tried to

Ning Zhuo strutted back and forth across the top of the balcony as he looked at the serene mountain scene below him.  He push his hands against the railings where there were spikes and leaned forward roughly until he bled.  The sick smell of blood brought him to his conclusion quickly as a servant rushed forwards to wrap his hands quickly with white bandages. "Your highness, you cannot be reckless as this.  Please take care of your health." "Take care of my health?  What is the point of that if I have no reason to live?  The woman in my heart does not wish to see me.  Her heart is set on something which I cannot allow.  All that is left in my body is hurt and pain and all I wish is to see her by my side."

As Yan Sha entered the royal palace from the private side gate, the air inside of the palace was tense.  There were few servants milling about instead of the unusual bustle of activity that she was used to after she had gotten used to the fact that this was her new home.  There were other concubines that her father kept who had their tasks as well as guests of the court and courtiers themselves who had come up for the day's court.  Seeing everything so quiet, made her wonder what had happened.She nudged a maid and asked her this observation.The maid shook her head.  "I'm only here to serve quietly, your highness.  We cannot speak of the common folk here.  There is a mysterious fog rolling in from our larger neighbor.  There are rumors it's a bear coming to swallow Caiwong whole.""You have a lion here,"  Yan Sha surprised herself as she said it boldly.  She had never spoken thus out loud but it was true and she knew