The dark sky took over the shiny, bright sky when the sun decided to disappeared for the cold night. I spent my day in my bedroom as the news about Crown Prince Yan falling ill has reached Imperial Father and Imperial Mother. Everyone, who found out about his illness, stopped by for a few hours and made sure his condition hasn’t gone worse. Imperial Mother stopped at my residence to make sure I was doing fine too. I reassured her of my circumstances and as soon as she left Empress Dowager rushed into my room lecturing me about not treating my husband sincerely with care. Of course I didn’t argue back, but quietly listened, more like faking it, since all she knows what to do is lecture me about my wrongdoings while she favors Consort Fang and Consort Xue. It’s really unfair.

    I stared at the blank ceiling unable to fall asleep. I rolled around on my bed trying to find a position to fall asleep in, but it’s not working. I sat up and glance around for my maids. None of them were to be seen. I slipped on my shoes and grab my outer robe at the same time A’Li passes by to replace my dying candles.

“Are you going somewhere?” A’Li asks.

“I’m just going outside for some air” I lied.

A’Li nods, “Want me to accompany you?”

“No need. You should go rest after you finish replacing the candles” I smiled as I opened the screened door. A’Li drew a small smile, knew what I was up to.

I strolled around my residence before I arrived at the front to Crown Prince Yan’s bedroom. I hesitated to enter. I raised my right hand and placed it against the door, but was unable to push it open. I frustratedly sigh as white fog came out of my mouth due to the cold. I closed my eyes and told myself I can do it. I tried finding reasons for myself to open his door and step inside. It’s not hard, right? It’s my duty as a wife to take care of him, right?

I gently push the doors, afraid that he can hear me enter. The doors screech making me stop at the entrance. After a long pause, I continue to make my way inside his room and close the door behind me. I glance around with the sight of no one, not even Consort Xue. He was lying in his bed, still sound asleep. I approached him noticing how pale he’d become. He even had small droplets of sweat appearing on his forehead. I frown as I walk towards the bowl and check the temperature of the water. It was applicable. I soaked the white cloth and drained the water before I walked back to Crown Prince Yan. I softly sat beside him and started wiping away his sweat. I’ve never seen his sleeping face before. This kind of face that he makes made him cute unlike his cold and furious expressions that he’s always showing me. Suddenly, he grasps my wrist and his eyes wide opened. I jerked back to small degree, startled by his awakening.

“What are you doing?” he asks, pushes my hand away from him; his coldness reappeared.

“Wiping away your sweat” I fumbled with the cloth as I stood up.

“Where are you going?” He grabs my clothing since he couldn’t reach for my arm.

“Aren’t you giving me the glare that says ‘go away’ so I am” I answer, yank myself away from him as I threw the cloth into the bowl of water.

“Stop” he commands.

I angled myself back to him.

“What is it now?” I ask.

“Come closer” he says. I do as I was told. He grasps for my hand and pulls me forward until I lost balance completely fell onto his chest.

“What are you doing?” I ask, more alert.

“Your punishment” he answers.

“For what?” I ask as I shuffled through my robe for anything to defend myself.

“For escaping the palace”

“You’re being unreasonable!” I managed to grip onto the knife A’Li tucked away in my robe. I took it out and naturally placed the blade against his neck.