Bow and Arrow

BAI YANG LIU

PRINCESS YANG LIU, CURRENTLY KNOWN AS PRINCE KUAN HUI

IMPERIAL TRAINING GROUNDS

"Bull's eye!" the imperial guard that was administering the game shouted as soon as the emperor shot the arrow, which wheezed through the air and hit the target with precision. The imperial guards that stood as spectators cheered on and elated some praises.

"How did Elder Bro... his Majesty hit the target? That mark is impossibly far." Princess Yang Liu spoke in defeat and the emperor chuckled, filled with pride. She was still having trouble addressing him as the emperor because all her life she had addressed him as Elder Brother, even when he became the crown prince of Nevoria.

"It is my honour to lose to his Majesty, the Emperor." General Feng bowed in respect from beside her.

"You have gotten better yourself," Emperor Huizhong smiled, "reason why I have you as one of my most trusted men." General Feng tried to maintain his neutral face. It was not every day that his majesty dished him with compliments.

The emperor turned to leave, "After sleeping for so long, I needed this so thank you."

"The pleasure is ours!" the princess spoke in a manly voice that had his majesty laughing as he walked away. They silently watched him leave, his entourage joining him from the far away distance they had been waiting. Stuck to his side was Luo Meng, his sole favourite guard.

At his absence the atmosphere relaxed and the imperial guards started dispersing.

"General Feng must help me improve my archery skills." The princess grabbed his hand withholding him from leaving. He tensed at her touch but unlike the other times she didn't let go but held on. It was so rare to find a man holding another man's hand and it was also superlatively looked down upon but she did not care.

"I have to be somewhere." He tried to walk away and she trudged along holding on to his arm.

"I will go with you," she offered.

"His Royal Highness should get a concubine." He advised her referring to her inappropriate conduct and impatiently tried to loosen her grip.

"Help me just for today?" she whined.

"His Highness will have to forgive―"

"Please?"

He shrugged in derailment and picked his bow and arrow. Adeptly, he grabbed her toward him and helped her place her fingers on the bow. His huge bulky body was enveloping her tiny body which felt like possession according to her fantasy world that existed in the back of her mind. The mere nearness of him made it hard for her to breathe. How could he be so unaffected by the situation at hand when she was tumbling within?

"His highness must continue to work on strengthening his arms otherwise his skills will always be lacking." He helped her pull the string backwards, his hand over hers.

She nodded breathlessly. Her arm strength was poor because she was truly not a prince like he thought.

'General Feng you brute, how can you be so blind and ignorant? Can you not see the effect you have on my body? How my heart is beating for you?'

S.V