BANYE (Updating)

Sickness

Wang Jian fell into illness by nightfall and excused himself from his princely duties and the throne room. He apologized endlessly to He Lian about not being able to be by her side, kissing and nipping at her hand, her arm, her shoulders, neck, and her...lips.

"I'm sorry, He Lian. I promise I'll make it up to you some other time." He crooned in his shallow, and hollow voice, struggling for breaths. Wang Jian is heating, his entire body balmy, his temperature is burning to a dangerously high level.

He Lian kissed him back worry etched in the wrinkles of her frown, she did nothing but walk right out of her childhood bedchamber leaving Banye there by himself earlier during the day.

You asked for a few minutes. Said He Lian to the demon. The few minutes is up.

Banye gave a soundless nod, waving his goodbye. See you around He Lian.

He Lian curled her lips to a tender smile, returning a soft wave to Banye goodbye.

*****

"You're very sick, Jian."

Jian groaned, wheezing for breaths and pressed his head on her clammy chest, trying to find a comfortable space, finding her pair of bosoms to be the perfect place. His heat bled into her and burned her cold frosty skin, sending sizzling wave of hot and cool crisp air around them. "Please, lay down. Get some rest so you can get better."

Wang Jian needed no convincing as he fell in the soft bed asleep as soon as He Lian tucked him in. "I love you, He Lian." Wang Jian murmured unaware in his sleep.

He Lian smiled as she bent over to plant a chaste kiss on his lips.

****

Wang Jian groaned and shifted, hissing restlessly. A nightmare chased him while he slept. He Lian has never seem him like this before but heard tales from the servants murmuring about the crown prince's days tormented in the palace. A demon stalked him and conjured all these twisted dreams to punish him.

Her thought brought her to Banye, how the fingers pointed to him so easily. Though she hardly thought it true. Banye might have twisted some of his magic to create Wang Jian's miseries but the nightmares were something else.

Wang Jian snarled and hissed again, his body contorted in strange positions. He Lian placed a careful hand over his head afraid he might snap her bones. His temperature has risen into scorching burn.

"Wake up, Jian." She hissed in a panicked breath, stirring his shoulder.

Wang Jian remained asleep.

She tried to rouse him awake a few more times without luck finally yanking herself out of bed to employ lord Chanshin's help. If anyone knows the prince better, it would be lord Chua Chanshin, the man who had been at the prince's side and loyal subject since they were children.

Chanshin announced himself earshot from the bedchamber. Oddly by himself. He brought no healers, herbalist, or medical practitioners along with him.

Easy casual steps carried him inside the room, he stalled at a precised space between the bed and the invisible line of security never to be crossed by anyone for as long as the prince lays in his chamber.

Lord Chua Chanshin inclined himself to a proper bow. "What seems to be the emergency here?"

"Jian is very sick'" She raked her cool fingers in between the locks of his messy raven hair. Her temperature helped him calm down. Wang Jian's head resting on her lap now.

Chanshin levelled his eyes to the prince, observing him with solemn stare. "He looks fine to me."

He Lian gave a horrified gasp that made lord Chanshin slide his cavalier eyes on her. "How can you say that? He's burning up! Look at him!"

Chanshin gave a careless shrug of his shoulders. "He's not dying."

He Lian shocked by now. "Aren't you at least a bit concerned? He's your prince."

"No, not really." He said with a slight shake of his head.

Her mouth remained ajar. "You are so unbelievable Chashin!" She hissed at him. "How can you not be a bit concern? He's your prince."

He breathe and shifted cross-legged, rubbing his tired eyes. It was clear that he'd been woken up from his deep stupor just for this. "Stop worrying, prince Jian is perfectly okay."

"How can you say that?"

His gaze wondered overhead, passed the ceiling and into the sky above. He pressed his palms on his knees and pushed, ruminating deeply on a thought. "It's full moon tonight."

"Yes, I know that." Said He Lian, she's been extra careful meandering around the palace for that reason this evening, the ray of moonlight casting on the palace has been especially mean, stinging and biting on her pale skin.

"Say, it has been two months since you were turned."

She'd rather not think of the memory but she answered, "yes."

"You'll find the prince tend to get stressed out sometimes."

"I know."

"When he does, it tends to become chaotic. Banye stealing you away this morning might've sent him over the edge." He leveled his gaze on He Lian again. "I could take you away from him for tonight. You can sleep beside me and I could protect you in his place."

There was a dangerous snarl and I could've swore Chanshin smiled at Jian's reaction. "Or not..." He added quickly.