A Desired Future

An Ruo thrashed his hand across the table, throwing everything to the ground with a crash. His chest heaved with a trembling, fiery breath.

"Get out!" He flung his hand to dismiss the scout.

The scout bowed his head and quickly retreated out of the room.

"Damn it!" An Ruo slammed his hands against the table.

Everything was going into complete chaos!

Not only did the men fail to assassinate Bai Lan, but their army's casualties in the last battle had set them back! Everything he climbed so hard to achieve came crumbling down like a withered mountain.

Knuckles white, An Ruo gritted his teeth; his hunched form exuded an animosity that was like acid - burning, slicing, and potent. His face was red with suppressed rage.

Upon entering the room, Shen could see the tightness around An Ruo's mouth, the barely suppressed anger in his eyes under his long black hair. The anger seemed to bleed from him. You could taste it. A nervous tension that became perilous, close to fear.

Shen's pale eyes moved to the broken glass and scattered papers on the floor. Quietly, he knelt to pick them up. Just as he picked up a broken shard, he dropped it, his finger pricked. An Ruo's heard the man's actions and swept his icy gaze.

On the floor, the young man was holding up his peerlessly white finger, a pearl of red blooming from the tip. An Ruo's brows furrowed deeper. His head lowered slightly, and his gaze landed on Shen's hand. The contrast of deep scarlet against his pale skin was apparent. His heart shook just a bit.

"Get up. The servants will do it." An Ruo looked away, seemingly unable to stare at him anymore, and slumped in his seat. He was tired. Tired of the lack of power he possessed.

After becoming leader, he had thought everything would be within his control, but it wasn't. From the moment that bastard entered their clan, An Sun was an unpredictable and powerful opponent.

An Ruo knew he could suppress a raging lion all he wanted, but the moment he pushed him to the edge, he would strike back in defense.

Shen lowered his gaze and silently stood up. When he raised those pale, emerald eyes, a light flickered.

"Master Ruo's struggles are not from a lack of strength, but a lack of support."

"Are you saying my people don't support me?" Already feeling aggravated, An Ruo couldn't help but snap harshly.

Regardless of his tone, Shen maintained his gentle and calm demeanor, "Of course not. Your people know how capable you are. However, the trust of the people is not enough to defend them. Every king needs an ally he can rely on."

Slowly, An Ruo's expression changed. The longer he processed his words, the more he couldn't help but smile. He wiped his face, his expression sinister, and chuckled as he stood up.

He knew when to admit when he lost, but he had only lost the battle, not the war. This was only the first round. The days ahead were long.

Walking over to Shen, his eyes darkened. An Ruo lifted the man's pale and frail arm. The feeling of his skin was cold. If he just squeezed a bit, the fragile skin would bruise, break even.

"To think of what I'd do if these clever hands were used to betray me…" An Ruo's voice was soft but contained an uncontained chilliness.

Shen just watched him with serene eyes as the man played with his fingertips. "Such a day will never come."

An Ruo stared at him with intense eyes. One hand tightly held Shen's hand, the other lightly caressed his pale, cold cheek. His long fingers slowly moved down and pinched his chin, and then suddenly lowered his head.

"It better not." He whispered before releasing him and exiting the room.

Shen quietly looked down at his hand and lifted it above his head. The light from outside cast upon his skin. He could see the bracelet of a bruise on his wrist. It was a bright red, the area still warm from where An Ruo's hand touched.

Very softly, Shen pressed his lips against his wrist. However, his eyes were layered with frost.

Forever, this chain would be embedded deep within him.

…

"in...Rin. Rin?"

Blinking her eyes, Rin lifted her gaze from the notebook. A pair of handsome, gray eyes stared down at her, his black hair sweeping past his nose and lips.

The grasses rose around her, tall and supple. The air was rich with the scents of earth and grass, mixed with the smell of the man's subtle, unique scent. Sandalwood, sweat, and something crisp she couldn't name.

"What are you reading?" An Sun sat beside her in the grass. He glanced at the notebook on her lap.

Rin lowered her eyes. "This is Fan Mingli's. I thought I would see if we could use his ideas for the upcoming battles."

An Sun stared at her for a moment then glanced at the notebook. He leaned forward a bit to view the pages. "Did you find anything that could help?"

Nodding her head, Rin pointed to a few images. "Our main goal is to infiltrate their main base. Once we destroy that, we'll be able to have the upper hand. Fan Mingli wrote here that we should place secret camps along the woods. There would be weapons and items for reinforcement."

"He dedicated his ideas into everything…" An Sun commented.

"Mm, he did." Rin's voice fell quiet. The thoughts of what Manchu had told her before seemed to resurface.

Fan Mingli's death…it was her fault. If she hadn't let him read that letter then...

The hands holding the notebook trembled.

An Sun stared at the person beside him. This was the person he loved deeply. Those eyes, that smile, that soft and calm voice—everything was engraved into his heart. But right now, this person's usually bright and clever eyes were etched with pain.

Lost in her thoughts, Rin was surprised to see the notebook pushed away from her lap and replaced by something heavy. More precisely, An Sun's head. Her expression turned funny.

"What are you doing?" She looked at the man lying peacefully on her lap. The lack of shame rendered her speechless.

"When we're together, I don't want to talk about the battle. I want to be with you and talk about anything else." His gray eyes looked up at her. That gaze could not hide the tenderness within.

The small stream in the distance hummed through her ears, however, it very quickly dulled to the sound of her beating heart. Rin could see the intensity in his eyes. When she heard his voice, she couldn't help but feel a dull pain sprout in her heart.

She looked at him, a sliver of concealed grief in his face. She said softly, "Okay…"

An Sun smiled softly. "Good. Then stop looking at me with those sad eyes."

The corners of her lips twitched. She couldn't help but flick the man's head. He winced and then suddenly laughed. Rin looked at the smile in the man's eyes that seemed to come from the bottom of his heart. Her mood was also infected by the other's cheerfulness.

All her worries, those dark and guilty thoughts seemed to disappear. This man had given her heart an endless amount of joy.

The grasses swayed and sighed with each breath of wind, the air was warm on her face, and Rin felt at peace. Past here, there were no hills, no mountains, only the endless grasses and the tall blades rippling like waves when the winds blew. She could see the dip and sway of the land, the patterns, and species of flora, the ever-changing sky, and wind.

Unconsciously, Rin ran her fingers across his hair. It was so smooth that it seemed to run through her fingers like water. She could not remember feeling anything so soft. It strangely intrigued her.

"Do you like my hair that much?" An Sun's voice broke her thoughts.

Rin quickly pulled her hands away but was caught by a firm grip.

"Hey, I didn't say I disliked it." He chuckled and placed her hands back on his head.

Although she was embarrassed, Rin couldn't help but feel his hair again.

She really liked soft things…

"Your hair, it's so long." She mumbled.

An Sun's looked at her, a faint but gentle smile appearing in his eyes. He looked at her hair and couldn't help but touch. "Your hair will grow again soon too."

Lowering her eyes, Rin played with a few strands. "I prefer touching yours."

An Sun looked at her porcelain-like face. His countenance turned solemn. Suddenly he turned his head and buried himself into her stomach, arms wrapping tightly around her waist. Rin's eyes widened.

"Sun? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He mumbled.

Rin tilted her head and frowned. "Are you crying?"

An Sun's face twitched. "I'm not crying."

"Then what's wrong?"

"As I said, it's nothing. I just want to stay like this for a while." His arms around her tightened.

Quiet for a moment, Rin sighed, and her hand softly patted his head.

She spoke in a voice so soft that only he could hear. "I would also like to stay like this..."

If only they could stay in this field with the tall grass, the wind, and the flowing stream.

If only they could be in each other's company whenever they pleased.

If only they could be together in peace forever…

An Sun said nothing and just continued to hold her tighter. His eyes closed to the soft feeling of the girl's fingertips coursing through his hair.