Yifan was ready to make his obeisance to the Empress and making his way to her chambers. He was about to enter when he saw three concubines lined in front of his mother, her mother scolding one of them harshly.

“You can’t even take care of your body! How do you expect to take care of the Emperor?” Angry and disappointment flushed from every pore of his body.

Yifan took a step back behind the wall, not wanting to intrude, but out of curiosity he stayed to listen to the end.

“Who asked you to climb the mountains? Who asked you to take such a nasty fall?” Yifan froze. No one else climbs in the mountains during the Winter Month and yesterday there was only one such incident. It sounded familiar. “Now that your body is tainted from the Lord knows what, you will be dismissed immediately.

Yifan scrunched his eyebrows. It so happened that the wolf he had been dreaming to see in their full form was a royal concubine. Who would spend their last free day climbing a mountain? But even without understanding the logic of the pu lang, Yifan longed to see the wolf in the human form.

“I order you to pack your things immediately. By sunset you will vacate your room.” Yfain detected extreme distress and shock from the pu lang. “All of you are dismissed.” The Empressed hissed in anger as the concubines left.

When they around turned the wall, they were startled by the presence of the Prince, all three of them immediately bowing down. Zishan and Li Kun out of fear, Luhan in purpose of soullessly following the two.

Yifan observed the sole male. His eyes were downcast, in despair, once again not giving his an opportunity to see what beauty those eyes had. A ragged scar marred the skin in an ugly fashion, resembling to the scar he saw on the wolf yesterday. But now that this being was no longer in his non-concious state, Yifan knew he was right. The pu lang was beautiful beyond words, just as his wolf was.

He saw the other two concubines had been looking at him, waiting for some form of response. On seeing that he briefly smiled, not allowing them to see how affected he was from a mere glimpse of the concubine and walked passed them and entered his mother’s chamber.

Before stepping forward, he took a deep breath, wanting to shake off conversation he had heard.

“Good morning Mother.”

He bowed deeply.

The girls did not speak to him when they returned to their chambers, Zishan only giving him a sad look of pity.

Luhan was feeling empty. He didn’t want to go out there. He needed to stay in the Palace. How could he have been so careless as to get himself hurt?

In fear and panic, he quickly undressed himself and stood in front of the polished bronze, inspecting how grave the situation was.

His body was painted purple and yellow, the bruise forming in an ugly fashion, scratch marks and fresh wound was still open. There was no way, in any angle or light, could this be hidden or made to look presentable.

He dreaded leaving the Palace. He could not leave. He could not got back.

Luhan’s eyes filled with tears.

He didn’t want to go back.

He just wanted to stay.

“Mother. May I say something if you don’t mind?” Yifan watched his mother give him her attention as she put the small cup of tea on the table.

“What is it dear?” The Queen looked at him, waiting to hear what Yifan had to say.

It was midday, Yifan had requested to have his midday meal with the Queen in her chamber. It was generally when he wished to speak to her on a more private basis, avoiding the prying eyes of the servants and the gossip seeking ears.

And indeed he wanted to speak to her about something.

About the pu lang.

Someone he could not get out of his mind. His sad downcast eyes, his slumped shoulders of dejection and worry. His white skin and soft pink lips. It scared him when he realized how detailed the image of the sad person etched in his mind within a short few seconds.

“Mother, this morning I overheard a conversation between you and the one of the concubines.” He noticed how his mother’s face hardened upon those words. “May I ask what happened?” He asked carefully, seeing as how sensitive this topic was for his mother.

A mate to the king, it was a hard task to choose concubines for the person you love in an objective manner.

He knew his mother had cried many nights when the king declared that he will not go without new concubines this year. The old concubines were immediately removed from the Palace for reasons Yifan was not aware of.

“One of the concubines fell from the mountain you were climbing yesterday.” So Yifan’s suspicions were true. The white wolf was indeed the pu lang he saw. “His face and body is scarred and bruised in an awful manner.” The queen spoke indifferently. “He has failed the criteria of a royal concubine.”

Yifan stayed silent letting his mother compose herself internally, even though to an outsider she seemed as still as water in a cup.

“Mother I saw him yesterday.” Yifan spoke carefully, mindful of the how the Queen may react to the news. “I believe he was being chased.” The Queen looked up in horror. “Thankfully, he is not tainted, as to what the physician told me. But I believe that his life may in danger if we let him go now.” Yifan pressed gently.

He remember that when Chanyeol had detected the scent of the pu lang, Yifan noticed other footprints. 3 pairs of human footprints. It was quick to assume that the wolves were in their human form and upon seeing the pu lang, they started chasing him.

“Is that what you truly believe Yifan?” The Queen studied the Prince. She knew he took a role as a protector in this regard rather than a son.

“I understand it is hard for you as I am siding with a concubine, but I believe he should be given some time in the Palace.” Yifan poured more tea for his mother.

“Atleast until the next full moon.” He pressed gently.

He watched his mother, well knowing that she considered the suggestion.

“Shu yuan Lu.” Luhan turned to face the door and found the Head Eunuch bowing to him. Unsure of the reason of his arrival, Luhan worriedly stepped towards the door.

“The Empress calls of your presence to her chambers immediately.” Luhan blanched in worry. What did he do now? He was simply packing his belongings into a single bag so he could leave before sunset.

Neither Zishan nor Li Kun had come to his room. Li Kun had heard that the King wished her presence, and hence she was taking a bath, preparing the services she had to provide that night. It was unknown where Zishan was.

“Please, take me there then.” Luhan wrenched his fingers, hoping the eunuch did not see his nervousness.

“Shu yuan Lu.” The Empress gestured to him to take a seat, and worryingly the concubine did so. “Are you feeling better?” Luhan looked up in confusion but the Empress did not elaborate further, nor giving a hint of what she referred to. Upon seeing that, Luhan faced down in respect and chose to answer in a generic manner.

“I am better, thank you.” Luhan bowed his head down further.

“You are only a 4^th rank junior.” The Empresses started. “You, of all people, cannot be behaving like this.” She hissed. Silence ensued after. “I have been thinking about your situation and I believe there is something you are not telling me.” The Empress spoke again, her voice sending shivers down his spine. “Were you perhaps chased on the mountains?”

Luhan looked up in panic. Was she suggesting that he was tainted? Yes, he fell, but he would never dare let anyone touch his body now that he was the royal concubine.

“Your highness, I did not take part in any activities that you taint the name of the royal family.” Luhan kneeled, his hands pleading and eyes brimmed with tears. “Please believe me.” He let out a soft sob.

“So then it’s true.” The Empress looked him in a manner Luhan could not understand. Was it disgust? Was it shame? Luhan’s inside were churning heavily with fear.

“You will be given till the next full moon as a period of protection.” The sudden declaration made Luhan freeze. Was he allowed to stay a bit longer? “Till then you are still a concubine and you will be expected to get better in the shortest of times.” The Empress stood up, no longer looking at the kneeling concubine. “Heed to your duties and on the night of full moon, leave the Palace forever.” Her voice was sharp and without waiting a second longer, she walked past the concubine who was still unsure as to what just happened.

Luhan studied the lunar charts that night in faint candlenight.

The next full moon.

That should be about 3 weeks of protection. 3 weeks to think of a place, safe as a palace to hide in.

Luhan bit his bottom lip as he studied the map of China.

But where would be safer than the palace?

A/N: Sorry it has been so long. Let me know what you think

Luhan sipped slowly on the warm milk, while watching the sun set.

The hues of orange bleeding into embers of violets, soft whisks of white and the warm glow of the sun, Luhan wondered how much longer he would be able to take such beauty in. How longer he would be able to live to be able to take such beauty in.

The soft crinkling of leaves beneath someone’s feet made Luhan alert.

There was someone.

And in an instant, he straightened up to see who it could have been.

It was Prince Jiaheng. He bowed deeply, and keeping his low.

The scent of the pu lang was beautiful. He felt that such beauty to the scent should have been termed as fragnance. More beautiful that the wild jasmine from the Kingdom of Indo or even fiery scents of cinnamon from Arabia.

It was a unique scent. A mixture of orange blossom and lemongrass. And odd combination, but a sweet one nonetheless.

He tried raking his mind if the servants in the Concubine’s chambers had put those specific scents in their bathroom chambers, but the thought was nullified when the other two concubines bore difference scents altogether, both nearly not as comforting and alluring as the scent of the pu lang.

Yifan followed the scent and found the said pu lang sitting on something, gaze at the brilliant sky. And when the younger turned, it felt as if time had stopped for a brief moment.

He finally saw the beauty of the pu lang’s eyes.

“Are you feeling better?” Yifan observed the pu lang, who had now had a timid and submissive stance, making Yifan slightly unhappy with that. He wished to drown in the younger’s beautiful eyes again. Those golden eyes, that reflected the setting sun with flecks of bronze.

“Yes My Prince. Thank you for asking.” The pu lang gave another bow, making Yifan frown.

“Lu Shu yuan.” The Prince spoke, and noticed that, although he tried to keep a soft and comforting tone, the younger immediately stiffened. “You are a concubine of the palace, not a slave.” He spoke softly, thinking it would be more comfortably for the younger he if watched the sky while speaking. “Furthermore, you serve the king, not me.” He paused, noticing that the younger had eased considerable. “I hope you will be on comfortable basis with me.” He couldn’t contain himself anymore. He had to take in the beauty once more.

“I understand My Prince.” Luhan bowed deeply, and immediately rushed off to his chambers, leaving an unhappy and rather flushed Prince.

Yifan let out a sigh.

He was wondering what was happening to him. His racing heart, suddenly came to a dead stop.