Evidence of a Good Sleep

Was it possible that Tianshi Xue finally got a good night's sleep? Yes.

For the first time in days she had not been awakened by the heat or whatever pain it was that kept poking her body. This morning, her consciousness was clear. Before she opened her eyes, she almost thought that she was back in her own body. But upon feeling the slight twist in her stomach, she knew that she was still Princess Yingyue.

She sighed but she was not that disappointed at all. She had to get used to sleeping in this body so why not start now?

She shifted and felt an arm twisting around her stomach. Her eyes popped open as a blow of hot air fanned her face. She was staring at a pair of lips. A pair lips that she had not thought to be this red. It looked so smooth and the upper was shaped like a perfect bow.

Tianshi Xue stopped herself mid-way biting her lip.

EW! I was so not thinking about kissing those lips!

But it did not end there.

Her eyes flitted to his closed ones and she marveled at the rest of his face. It was hard to find such a perfect nose nowadays. Even actors had to have theirs modified. His did not even look like it had been broken once. It stood tall and strong in the middle of his face.

His lashes were something that made her envy him. She was not even going to deny. Why had boys been given longer and thicker lashes when they don't even need it?

Another thing she had to notice, was the prince's arm around her midriff. It was making her feel things she did not want to feel.

She sighed in her mind. Am I this desparate for human touch? To be held? I'm pathetic.

The prince's arm was warm and comforting. She did not even feel him shift positions last night. She doubted he knew that he shifted too. Just how would he react if he found out that he unconsciously hugged her? Would some of that pride and angst leave him?

She decided to tease him about it. She trailed her fingertips at the small space that exposed his neck. The lightest touch immediately made the prince react. His eyebrows twitched and then furrowed before his eyes opened a slit.

"Good morning," she smiled.

His eyebrows furrowed more, probably wondering why she was being so nice to him.

"Did you sleep well?"

An eyebrow was raised.

"You must've. Aren't I something to behold? Guaranteed good sleep, right?"

That was when his eyes drifted down to his arm on her. He did not move it.

"It's your first time cuddling with a woman. I can tell," she whispered. "How do you find it?"

He smirked at her. "I'll rate it a 2/10."

"What?!"

"You're not that much of a good sleeping buddy. For one," he pointed to the sleeve she had her head on. "You drool. Your saliva smells horrible. And two," he pointed at her arm. "You need more meat to be an ideal pillow. So if I'm going to rate this sleeping experience, it'll be 2."

She scoffed. "You're the one who was getting all handsy."

"Says the one who threw her arms around me."

"I did that to demean you. So you'd know that your role in this bedroom is a pillow!"

The prince turned away his face and laughed. "I don't know what on earth has gotten inside your head that you would want to destroy me."

The Conqueror—village burner, maker of slaves. Just thinking about that made Tianshi Xue's blood boil. "You know what," she said getting up. "Your time is up."

The prince easily got up the bed and took his sword from the side. Tianshi Xue escorted him to the door and before he went out he pointed to his own cheek while looking at the princess' dry-saliva stained one, then whispered, "The evidence of a good night's sleep."

Tianshi Xue glared at him slammed the door at his face.

**

"Moody morning?" Bolin asked before Prince Qui could even turn around.

He nodded.

"It must be the cramps," said Feng who was already setting up fire for breakfast.

Not that Prince Qui minded that the princess was mad him. Everyone was mad at him. It was nothing new. He walked over to his tent and sat down at its opening. "She slept well in case you all are wondering."

"But why was she screaming?"

"You can hear that?"

Feng shrugged. "She slammed the door to your face too."

Prince Qui could not help the smile that made its way to his face. "She's got a temper."

Aiguo just got out of his tent, looking pissed already. Well, he always looked pissed. If he didn't look like something was eating him, his face was passive. "Did you sleep well though, General?"

"I didn't," he said, but as soon as those words left his lips, he knew that he was lying.

He had never slept with any other woman before but there was just something about the way Princess Yingyue felt. He did not even expect to fall asleep. It had been two nights in a row now that he fell asleep with her. She was warm and soft, she did not move much when sleeping. Or maybe it was because she smelled like coconuts…

Yeah, it has to be the coconuts.

The woman despised him. It would make no sense if she would be the one that would bring him peace.

**

Back in the palace, General Bingwen's army was on the march.