The Shameless Young Miss

Sixth Step (4)

Eli reported to Takeshi what happened at the royal palace with detail.  He left nothing out, from the words and actions of the King and Queen as well as the words and actions of Concubine Lisa.  Once his report ended, Takeshi ordered four guards to the palace dungeons to keep watch over Lisa.  

He didn't want Prime Minister Lei using his influence to sneak her out of the dungeons and out of the palace, to safety.  He didn't want Prime Minister Lei to give her poison either, giving her an easy death.  

His hand burned and itched with the feeling to wringing her neck with his hands for poisoning Lihua.  He wanted her to pay slowly with her life for what she did.  He wanted her to cry out in pain and beg for death as he tortured her.  After that he would destroy the Lei Clan in Lihua's place.  How could they poison her twice and not get away with it!  He vowed to kill everyone in the Lei Clan.  Not even letting a single chicken in the Lei Manor will live.

But before he could do any of that, he had to make sure that Lihua was okay.  He needed to know that she would wake up.  Life would have no meaning if Lihua was no longer standing next to him.   There was nothing he could do to save her, he couldn't go over and demand the antidote from her.  She wouldn't even have it.  Looking from his point of view, even though Lisa's situation made it seem like someone used her as the knife to kill Lihua, it was her responsibility in the end. All the evidence pointed to Lisa in a nice neat bow.  There was no refuting that.  

Takeshi takes off his clothes and changes into his sleeping clothes, leaving the top off and only wearing the light and loose pants on.  He crawls into bed with Lihua and places her gently in his arms as he holds her.  Breathing her scent into him, trying to remember everything about her before sleep catches up to him and all he sees is darkness.  

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By morning word had spread of Concubine Lei poisoning Lady Lihua.  Prime Minister Lei although not feeling well, looked like he aged 10 years, came to the palace demanding to see his daughter.  He was refused by the order of the King and when he asked for an audience with the King, he was again refused.  With nothing that he could do, he leaves the palace in a huff. He instead tries to try and pull as much string as he can from his home, just so he can see his daughter in the dungeons.  

He planned on calling in all the favors that was owed to him and use all the connections he built over the years.  He was going to make sure he could see his daughter before the trials.  He needed to hear from her what happened and see if he could come up with some evidence that someone else framed her.  As long as there were suspicion of another culprit, his daughter would be found innocent.  He could not let all his hard work go to waste so easily.   

Meanwhile, over at the Shiro Estate, Takeshi had woken up several times in the night to check in on Lihua, to ensure that she is still breathing.  By the morning the sunshine that came through the window, lit Lihua's face. Takeshi could see the colors come back on her face.  She no longer looked pale and deathly.  The flush of life on her face gave Takeshi some hope that she was going to be okay.

He brought her into the bathing room and stepped into the tub with her.  He leans her unconscious body on his as he baths her in the quiet of the morning.  He took his time soaping up her body then rising it off.  By the time he carried her out to dry her off, he noticed on her right ankle, a poison marking of a spider's web with a huge silver and black spider.  On her left ankle, a spider's web and three smaller silver and black spiders.  

Seeing the poison markings on her, Takeshi could finally sigh in relief.  As long as Lihua could dispel the poison from her body, he knew she would be okay.  

He lays her in bed, naked next to him and pulls the cover over them.  His heart was settled enough to finally get some sleep. 

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The first thing Takeshi sees are forest green eyes that stare right back at him.  Her fingers had come up to smooth out his eyebrows that had scrunched up in his sleep.  Takeshi grabs her hand and places it on his cheeks to feel her warmth on his body.  

"Good Afternoon."  Lihua said as she smile at him.  

"Em."  Takeshi said as his hand reached over to push her hair back from her face.  

"When's the trial?"  Lihua asks as her hand traces his lips.  

With one move, Takeshi pins her down on to the bed.  Her hands pinned above her as he splits her legs open with his legs.  

"You dare trick this King!"  Takeshi said as he stares at Lihua.  "You dare make this King worry!"