The Bee And I

BAI SHEN HONG

EMPEROR HUIZHONG

THE DUNGEON

She was now fuming and that was where he needed her to be because he also, was fuming due to her continuous rejections.

"Is this pay back?" she countered.

"If the shoe fits," his hand slid to her face, pushing away her loosened hair from her face then rested on her shoulder. Why was it that he craved touch with her as if he was magnetised to her body?

"Grand General… please have me out of here," she pleaded.

He smiled.

This was what he wanted to hear, her begging for mercy, pleading. If only she was truly desperate. After the thousand pleas he had heard from his servants over the years, he could rightly tell one who was feigning apart from one who was distressed.

She wasn't in despair.

The warm small hand of hers that still held his leg massaged him seductively. Luring him. She was a mistress of manipulation and that was why they were a match.

"Only you pleading like that beneath my sheets will move my heart, Little Fox."

She grimaced at the words as if she would strike him but expeditiously thought better of it. He admired her self-control.

"The emperor… any day he can have me killed if I'm to stay here." She was talking about him. The emperor was him. "You know how he is with his mood swings."

"No, the emperor does not have mood swings." He forthright defended.

She frowned at how refutative he was. "Huh? Not you too almighty Grand General," she mocked.

"What?"

"The 'I own the world Grand General' is his lap dog too?"

If he was not the emperor, her words could be considered as treason.

"Alright. I will get you out." He finally gave in.

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yes."

"You promise?"

"Yes but I seal promises with kisses."

She lightly tapped his leg to reprimand him.

"You can't blame a man for trying," he chuckled.

"I haven't washed my mouth for days."

"I don't care." He was quick to respond.

"Oh what a pervert," she giggled.

Shen Hong suppressed a laugh. What was it that he felt around her? It was like the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders. He could be himself, he could laugh. He liked it.

His thumb raised toward her cheek; her blushing pale skin was soft to the touch. He softly rubbed it and for a moment he caught her nudging her head forward to the feel of his touch.

"Later, Empress." He stood up to leave and her hand loosened from his leg though he wished she would hold on and have him stay.

Shen Hong was about to reach for the cell gate when he heard her quickly fidget. His defense shield quickly snapped ready to take whatever her sneaky mind had for him. In an instance, he found her in front of him.

"What are―"

In the space of a second, she stood on her toes and pulled him to her by his shoulder. Her sharp nails dug into the fabric of his black robe and that had him breathing sharply through his teeth. She had her other hand at the back of his head while her teeth made contact with the delicate flesh of his neck. She softly bit him, grazing him, yet her soft lips kneaded the pain away. It was sore yet sweet. Bittersweet.

She was the bee and she was working honey out of him. He felt like he was flying away with her as he sensed himself lighter than he actually was. He moaned, losing himself at the edge as she stopped.

"I will be waiting." Her voice was deathly soft, almost a whisper in the closed confines of the cell.

Shen Hong lost it, he held his head as if he would faint then speedily pulled himself together. She couldn't know the effect she had on him.

'I will be waiting.'

The words were like one said to a lover that was leaving. Parting words once said to him. He groaned as he trudged down the passageway. What if Elora still waited and he had failed her thus far?

'It was just a neck kiss, damn it.' He tried to silence himself.

Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced through his chest and he lost breath. He also lost balance and luckily Luo Meng was there to catch him.

"Your Majesty?" Luo Meng questioned with concern imminent in his eyes.

"Luo Meng…" he breathed, holding his chest but just as fast as the pain came, it was gone.

"This servant suggests that His Majesty has us summon an Imperial Physician." He was worried. Shen Hong could see by the way his grip was slightly trembling beneath him.

"I am alright." He brushed it off. He trusted that his swordmaster, wherever he was, was capable of looking after his heart.

Luo Meng let him go though he was weary for him. "Should we have her released?" He changed the subject to Little Fox. Luo Meng always eavesdropped on his conversations in order to protect him as his shadowing guard.

"No Luo Meng." Shen Hong retorted.

She had not fallen for his trap. So it's either he was dealing with a hard core spy or she was just innocent. Surprisingly he hoped she was a spy. This way he would have reason to get rid of her and have his whole focus back on finding his beloved. "In fact, I was never here. Treat everything with ignorance."

He bit his lip in thoughtfulness.

"We will go out to practise till dawn so send the dungeon guard to go get my coat from her cell," he instructed. He was not willing to leave any evidence of him behind.

Thereafter, Shen Hong headed out of the dungeon. Sparing always helped him wind off his feelings.

S.V