A dreadful dream

Zhen Feng's head was still dizzy, his heart hurting so agonizingly it felt like it had been pierced by a wooden sword, the splinters left in its passage remaining embedded in the flesh.

The prince released the mermaid he had been embracing so passionately and pushed his back violently against a red wooden pillar nearby in an attempt to retain his balance. He tried to look up at Ni Ni but his vision was blurry and he could only make out her outline.

Lin Mei looked worriedly at his figure barely standing against the pillar with his hand pressing against his chest. The usually lofty and composed demon man was trembling and sweating, his eyes closed shut.

"Zhen Feng, what is wrong?!" This was her first time calling him by name.

He had been kissing her passionately just a few instants ago. Initially, Mei had welcomed his advances, lost in her own impulses. However, once she cleared her head, she began worrying about how their relationship would grow even more complicated from then on. She had decided to leave, she couldn't change her mind just because of a delightful moment of passion.

It had been a wonderful moment when two normally restrained people had let go of everything that bound them. But while such a tender moment could warm someone's heart, it wouldn't change anyone's beliefs and values.

However, she wasn't expecting him to suddenly become like this.

The anxious mermaid was cautiously approaching Zhen Feng when a tall but frail-looking man got there first and placed Zhen Feng's arm over his neck, helping to support the prince's weight.

"Your highness!" He exclaimed in distress. "Let me help you to your room."

Hu Cheng was preparing to teleport the both of them using his magic when the concerned Lin Mei interrupted him, pulling on his sleeve.

"Is he alright? Is he going to be fine? What happened?"

"His highness is fine, don't fret Miss Bai. I will be accompanying him to his room. Have a good rest, Miss Bai." Hu Cheng answered in a hurry, very slightly bowing his head after the last sentence. He then carried on with his magic spell.

As the two men disappeared in a thick cloud of dark blue fog, only the worried mermaid was left in the quiet Cloudy courtyard. She nervously walked around in circles for some time before deciding to retreat into her room.

Lin Mei was so anxious she couldn't continue orchestrating her plans to go back home.

She got in her bed and stared at the window for a while as if waiting for someone to come back with news of the prince. Some hours had passed when Mei gave up on the thought that someone would come and closed her eyes hoping to get some rest.

It was a sleepless night for the mermaid princess.

♔ ♔ ♔

"Zhen Feng, I will never forgive you."

Zhen Feng gazed at the severely wounded woman in front of him.

In his eyes, a sorrow that threatened to last for eternity. In hers, the pain of a lifetime's betrayal.

The prince stretched out his hand to touch her face. As his trembling fingers made contact with her blood-stained skin, the beautiful woman in Zhen Feng's dream started to disintegrate, as if turning into bubbles.

As his world lost all of its meaning, Zhen Feng felt his heart break into millions of insignificant fragments. And then, everything became dark.

♔ ♔ ♔

"Ni Ni!" Zhen Feng shouted as he opened his bloodshot eyes.

The prince was laying in his bed, shivering and sweating all over.

A startled Hu Cheng who had been standing by the door for hours called for the doctor and quickly went into the room. Walking in, he saw the prince sitting on the bed with sweat dripping down his face. Knowing that His Highness didn't like being touched, Hu Cheng offered him a handkerchief to wipe his face.

"Hu Cheng. What happened? Where is Miss Bai Ni Ni?" The crown prince questioned, in a calm yet demanding tone, meanwhile accepting the handkerchief to clean his face.

"Your Highness, you had a high fever and started hallucinating. The doctor couldn't tell us when you would wake up. This servant was worried." He had been serving the prince since he was a child and it was his second time seeing him like this. Other than that time over five years ago when the prince was very ill, he would only be feverish for a few days here and there, but never would he completely lose consciousness. It could only have one cause.

"How long was I asleep?"

"It has been two days since Your Highness lost consciousness."

"Where is Ni Ni?" The prince asked with a cold glance, effectively hiding his anxiety.

"…" Hu Cheng hesitated for a few seconds before deciding to voice his concern. "Your Highness… I am afraid bringing Miss Bai into the household was not the best option. Since a few months have already passed but we have failed to find any evidence that the Ocean's Tear is in her hands, perhaps it would be best to let her return to the sea."

"Absolutely not." Zhen Feng declared, leaving no room for debate or unnecessary words. "Where is she?" He inquired.

"Your Highness, may you please consider this subject's words. I have been with you for over 20 years…" Hu Cheng pleaded.

"Where is she, Hu Cheng?" Zhen Feng was growing impatient.

"The doctor will be arriving in a few moments to check on your health, I suggest th—"

Hu Cheng was interrupted by the crown prince, who briskly stood to his feet and strode towards the door, leaving his room without glancing back.

Zhen Feng was too anxious, he couldn't wait another second. He paced in the direction of Cloudy courtyard, in a haste to find his mermaid. It was nighttime already and she should be in her room. He didn't know what had happened in the couple of days he had been asleep, which was making him apprehensive.

Although he couldn't quite remember what he had dreamed about, he had felt an intense need to see the mermaid as soon as he woke up.

Arriving at the peaceful courtyard, Zhen Feng hurried towards her chambers. Without even announcing his presence, he climbed the small flight of stone steps that led to Ni Ni's room and abruptly pulled the wooden door open. He inspected the room but, finding it empty, Feng Zhen grew tense. Had she left?

Liu Ting observed her master dashing into Lady Ni Ni's room. When he turned back, she recognized on the prince's face an expression she had never seen on him before. Did he look a little helpless? Somewhat caught off guard, the maid slightly stumbled backward.

Since the prince had been standing put for a long while looking as immobile as a statue, Liu Ting swallowed her hesitancy and walked slowly towards him.

"Your Highness, this servant greets you. Is Your Highness looking for Miss Bai?"

Zhen Feng immediately perked up and looked at the small young maid.

"Do you know where she is?"

"Miss Bai has been staying in the library from morning to night for the last two days." Having heard all the information he wanted to hear, Zhen Feng forsook any other formalities and headed straight to the library.

Liu Ting was left behind standing in her place, taken aback by the crown prince's behavior.

When Zhen Feng saw that the door to the library was open, his mood became lighter. He knew that the only person in the estate who would so freely enter this room was the creature he had been looking for.

After taking a few steps inside, Zhen Feng finally spotted the beautiful mermaid he had been longing to find. She was sleeping in the same site he had found her sleeping in the first time she had entered the library. Seeing her surrounded by the books his mother had collected and guarded until she was no longer alive, the prince was as moved as he had been the first time.

Looking at the mermaid as if she were prey, he approached her.