them away, the action was far more difficult than the thought.
His personal guards sat before him, their backs to the wall. Chien had always assumed that the Empress had placed him there in hopes that some lucky assassin would take the bait she had so lovingly placed and do away with him. There had been no assassins, however. General Bao, despite the minister's doubt of him, took his job quite seriously.
It was how Chien had met him, patrolling along the path that led from Chien's rooms to the main hall, his dark eyes not missing a single thing. Especially not the sight of a prince busy training when all should have been asleep.
Thinking on it, he could nearly recall the sound of Bao's boots against the stone path. He was being stupid allowing himself to become distracted like that. He should have been meditating in hopes that the Dragon would help him calm his mind and find the answers. Instead he was letting his thoughts once again bring him down the dusty forbidden path.
After a few seconds though, he realized that the sound of boots upon gravel was not simply in his imagination. His eyes opened and he took in the sight of Bao, that damnable half smirk upon his face, steadily approaching him.
The man seemed so damned confident in his reception that Chien grew more determined to sit right where he was and allow Bao to come to him. If anything, Bao's smirk widened. Could he hear Chen's heart pounding even now? "Prince Chien," Bao greeted him with a bow once he drew close enough.
"General. Have you paid visits to my cousins in such a manner as well?"
Bao laughed and stood, "I would have, but I believe I made a promise of a particularly spoiled prince."
"You forget your place, General."
"I much prefer you like this." Chien's eyes widened in confusion. "In front of the Empress and the princes, you play the fool. But here in the rising dark you are filled with haughty pride. It suits you." Bao stood close enough now that he caught Chien's chin in his calloused hand.
"Is that so, General?" But Chien could not think of any witty response, not when this man's presence seemed enough to cloud his thoughts until he could not remember a whit of his master plan. All he could think of was the tragedy that would inevitably unfold when Bao broke his heart. At that thought, he yanked backward and stood to his feet, "I would prefer to continue this conversation inside."
"Of course." Bao followed him peaceably inside, shutting the door behind him and securing it before turning back to Chien.
Chien had taken care to ensure that everything had been hidden. The Everbloody sat safely in his chest, hidden amongst the silks of his robes. The poison that Minh had sent hid in an elaborate thin box beside his bed. Unlike his cousin, his room was simple. He could not decorate it in the manner he preferred: In the bold colors that had characterized his mother's homeland or the black and gold that had characterized his father's reign. So instead he had chosen an austere look. Nothing to distract him, nothing to do in his room except focus.
Bao looked around for a moment, a frown on his face before his eyes settled onto Chien. He began to take off his sword when Chien interrupted him, "Is that necessary? I had assumed your business would be quick."
Rather than being put off by Chien's sharp tone, Bao seemed merely amused. He stared Chien in the eye and purposefully unhooked his sword from his belt and sat it to the side. "Perhaps we could sit and talk, Prince."
"Why bother calling me by my title if you have no intention of respecting my position?" Chien sat beside the table as Bao instructed.
"Because it suits you in these moods." He set the long box he had been carrying onto the table. "You showed interest in my journey before. I thought you might want to hear of it."
Chien was curious. He had not been allowed beyond these walls in years. Not that he had not made his way to the village just outside the palace's walls from time to time. But that could only be done so often without raising suspicions. "Did you find what the Empress searched for?"
"Not at all," Bao frowned, "It appears that whatever source she had heard was incorrect."
"I wonder what she searches for."
Bao gave him a look, "Sometimes I wonder just how much of you is the role you play and how much is the real prince."
"Is that so? Have you found the answer then?"
"Not quite. But if I never find the answer, it will not be for lack of persistence."
Chien could not help himself from snorting in laughter, "Do let me know then, General, when you find the solution."
"Do you know the story of the Sword of Heavens?"
"It was granted to the first Emperor by the Dragon. It is the history of my family. Of course I would be aware." Chien answered when Bao seemed surprised.
"When the governor asked you last month you claimed to have not a clue."
"The governor prefers to pretend that he knows all things. It is easier to amuse him than fight it."
For the first time since Chien had known him, Bao seemed a bit unsure of himself. "Do you do that with all people then? Humor them in hopes that they will give you a moment's peace?"
Here was his moment. The moment he could sever this relationship with one easy blow. He did not need Bao's information any more, did he? Not with things so close. But the same part of him that so easily allowed him to do away with his evil aunt and her wicked sons would not allow him to lie to Bao in this moment. "Sometimes. And sometimes I find that the truth slips free beyond my control. It unsettles me."
There was a long pause while Bao searched his eyes, and Chien could not help but wonder what Bao searched for. At last though, he looked down to the box beneath his fingers. "I brought you a present."
He handed the box to Chien and Chien accepted it tentatively. "A present? General, you did not have to."
"Did you behave yourself?"
"Hardly."
Bao laughed and Chien found himself smiling as well, "I would hardly expect anything more of you. But since I have already made a purchase of this, you might as well take it."
Curious now, Chien pulled it close and slowly removed the top of the box. Within the box lay a purple silk robe, soft and luxurious to the touch. A design had been embroidered along the sleeves, the threads catching the lights of the dying sun. Chien ran his fingers along it and he could scarcely feel the embroidery. The sleeves were gold, embroidered with a fine black thread. There were no appropriate words. This was not a gift that Bao could have commissioned in a period of two weeks. Something of this quality would have taken months to make.
His hand ran once more along the threads and he could feel the tingle along his fingers. There were spells woven within this robe. Ancient spells of protection. When his hands slipped free of the robe he could feel that there was more beneath of it. The black coat with the dark green of the dragon weaved in so subtly that Chien nearly missed it.
He could not speak. Were there words for something such as this? He owned finer things to be sure, but nothing would ever mean quite as much as the robe in his hands. When he did not say anything for a long while, Bao finally asked, "Do you like it?"
Like? That was hardly an appropriate word. This was not the gift of a man seeking simply to settle his urges. It was a gift of a man who had seen uncomfortably close behind the mask Chien preferred. When had he slipped this badly? How had Bao seen this much?
It took a few minutes longer for him to find words. He managed a choked, "Thank you." How long had he wished that he had managed to save one of his mother's robes. These silken robes were not the fashion of the palace. His mother had brought hers with her from Xing and his aunt had burned them all when she had taken the throne.
"You like them, I'm glad." Bao sounded relieved.
"They're quite beautiful."
"Yes well, the Empress will likely not approve of them. But the colors and the style seemed to suit you." Chien made the mistake of looking up into Bao's eyes. This situation had spiraled out of his control. This relationship had gone too far. Too long. The thought of seeing hate in those eyes, filled Chien
with fear.
There had to be a way to end this with everything intact.
Life is suffering. Chien's fist clenched around the beautiful fabric at the reminder. There would be no happy ending for him, not in this, likely not ever. Because there was no ending in which his aunt died and Bao did not turn on him. No ending where his aunt lived and he could live with himself.
Better to break this now, protect himself before he fell any further. Yet even as the thought crossed his mind, when Bao leaned toward him, he moved closer until their lips touched. "Thank you." Chien whispered once more against Bao's lips when the kiss broke.
This would end badly. With either his sword through Bao's heart or Bao's sword through his. Even knowing that, Chien could not stop himself from greedily taking another kiss. Better to enjoy than to regret his control later.
"I should go. I need to speak with the Empress before the banquet." But Bao did not move immediately, leaning is forehead against Chien's and kissing him once more before pulling back and standing in one easy motion.
"General." Bao stopped in the act of securing his weapon once more, "Thank you."
Bao smiled at him, the expression uncommonly soft and sweet, before he turned and opened the door. The maid standing on the other side of the door jumped and stammered in a foreign language. Bao merely nodded at her before continuing on his way. Once he had moved, Chien could see that it was the same maid Minh had scolded earlier. While she stared