Fooled Once. Never Twice

WEI LI LIAN

PRINCESS LE-ANNE

THE DUNGEON

When Le-anne woke up early in the morning, she found the cell empty from another. The woman who held her so highly had disappeared and of course she couldn't help wondering where they had taken her.

What now? Was she next?

Hopefully Grand Consort Shu turned out to be the prowess like she claimed to be so that she could be released sooner than later. Surely General Feng could not shield her forever and she knew that the more one stayed imprisoned, the more dangerous it was as any day the emperor could wake up on the wrong side of the bed and order that all prisoners be slaughtered dead.

During the day she decided to hone her gongfu by gathering her energy, and attacking and defending herself against the air.

What disturbed her practise was a dungeon maid who was let in to thoroughly clean her cell. She wiped the gate bars clean, mopped the floor and dusted the roof corners for spiders. It grew all the more peculiar when she brought a censer to fragrance the dungeon cell.

Did General Feng or Grand Consort Shu order this for her? Now Le-anne felt like the Dungeon Empress because definitely no one had ever been treated this handsomely in a dungeon.

Dinner was nothing knew but sour porridge that was burnt. Instead of having her cell cleaned Le-anne would rather have her lovely guardians instruct that she be fed edible food. Soon she was to dance for Grand Consort Shu's birthday banquet. Did they forget that? This kind of food would not do her any justice.

But she ate anyway. What else could she do?

Le-anne was about to dose to sleep when she heard some footsteps approach the cell. It was a guard doing his normal rounds but weirdly this time he was more attentive and cautious. He searched the passage for any intruders, looked into her cell then vanished.

Something was not right, her gut instinct warned. Le-anne wanted to find out more concerning this matter but she blanked out, everything darkening.

When she woke up, she was not sure what time it was. Her head was raming like she was experiencing the pains of one who fell asleep after drinking too much.

"Agh…" she groaned as she straightened.

"My Lady has awakened," a gruff voice came from the other side of the room.

She bolted up in shock and looked up.

There sat a man covered by a huge black coat, concealing his face and the lighting of the room did not help in identifying him either. The only lighting they got in their cell was from a lamp in the passageway.

"A man cannot be with a woman in a cell." How could they allow this? Until proven guilty she was still a palace maid and therefore belonged to the emperor.

"Our master made plans to allow me in for a little bit," he responded in a professional like manner. By master she assumed that he meant General Feng.

"Which master?" she still went on to seek confirmation.

"I do not have time. My Lady should let me know what I should convey to our superior, for we seek answers on why you have delayed our plan by ending up in prison."

Still Le-anne's gut was not in the right place. Something was unerring about the events leading to this and the situation she was in right now. Firstly, it was General Feng who always delivered messages to her, what changed now? And how dare this servant say that General Feng or whoever let him in is her master when she was a princess? If this person is worthy of being one to carry classified information, at least he would know who she is―the princess of Huticah. Lastly, he was too informal and rude to her considering her status. She couldn't stand the last bit the most.

"What plan?" She was not going to give him anything to bite on unless he did the same. Already, her hands were feeling the floor, searching for a self defence weapon. It was her hope that the spoon she used to eat her porridge with was there somewhere in the bowl.

"The mission, my lady?"

"What mission?"

"What other mission could they be?" Irritation was evident in his voice.

Not much patience? Good.

"I do not know what you are talking about, I'm just a palace maid."

"Of course you know what this is about!" He lashed in accusation and familiarity was woven in the sound of his voice.

How could she not identify that voice anytime sooner? The only one that was capable of tying knots in her stomach.

"Unb.. elievable..." she stuttered in disbelief and sprung up, making a grab for him. She tried to pull the coat but he held it tightly.

"Let go of it you imbecile," she demanded though he still did not relent.

Alright, she would have it with him the hard way. She swerved around and jabbed her leg towards him to which he rolled over and avoided. In seconds, she twisted herself and jerked her other leg. It nearly hit his stomach, to which he deviated himself from her then veered up from the floor.

Frustration boiling over, he forcefully detached the coat from himself and shoved it to the floor.

"Damn it, Little Fox," he said with a deadly tone. Exposed he was to her, but vulnerability is what she felt instead. He was leatharly approaching her and she unexpectedly started backing away from him until she was caught against the wall.

He towered over her with his notable height and they were again in a similar position they met in. Him prying, her the prey.

She tried to breathe, suffocated by his presence.

He was close to her. Against her. Around her.

It was all coming together. The cell was probably cleaned for him; the guard's weird change of routine and her being drugged.

His hands were already skimming down her body, holding her prison against the wall. Who else could be that bold?

"Grand General, you sly dog!" she rancoured.

And he laughed.

S.V