Chapter 7

Yifan wondered briefly if he was being bothersome before shaking his head and pushing open the doors to Feiyan's chambers the next day. It was nearing winter, and everyone felt it - cold, biting winds and the beginning of snow fall. It felt no different inside of her room, the cold causing him to give an involuntary shiver. "Feiyan?" He called out. No answer. He closed the doors behind him and walked further inside; she was certainly here if the lit lamps and candles were any indication.

Someone hurried out from the back rooms and bowed to him. It was one of the maids. He didn't recognise her face. "Your majesty," she murmured, "Milady is indisposed at the moment." Indisposed? She's ill? Yet she looked fine last night. He brushed past her and headed to where Feiyan's bed was.

"Feiyan, are you alright?" He asks. 

The thin curtains were drawn around her bed, hiding her appearence. His brows creased when he heard her cough. Moving closer, he said in a softer tone, "How are you feeling?" He wanted to see her face, but with the maid hovering behind him, he didn't want to seem rude. Though he so very wanted to dismiss her, he realised that she might be needed. 

Feiyan herself was the one to pull open the curtain, attempting to sit up. He moved quickly to support her, resettling the thick furs she's bundled up in. "When did you fall ill? You should have let me know. It is dangerous to be ill during this turn of the season; the snow will only worsen your health," he frets sternly, pulling the furs around her more tightly and unknowingly wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He only realises what he's done when she pulls away slightly, shocked at the contact yet too weak to completely distance herself. Yifan could now see clearly how pale and sickly she looked, and from his hand resting on her shoulder, exactly just how cold she felt.

"It's fine. I only caught this cold after the first snow fall this morning. It was only a bit colder than usual. I'm fi-," she coughs, "I'm fine. It'll leave me soon enough." Her raspy voice doesn't help her case but she still presses on, going so far as to finally try and push the King away. 

Yifan shakes his head and clicks his tongue, unmoved by her weak push, "No, these rooms are far too cold. I'm bringing you somewhere warmer than this." He waves the maid over to help him as he pulls a protesting Feiyan into his arms, along with all her furs and bed covers. He makes sure his own cloak is secured tightly before he stands upright with her in his arms. She felt so lightweight that he wondered if she would be blown away at the slightest wind, just like a little bird. She clings to his neck to keep from falling, shocked at the height. "Hold tight. I don't want you slipping," he says, walking out of her room. 

"I could say the same for you," she whispers, to which he chuckles and bops her forehead with his nose; his hands were occupied with holding her. He doesn't see the fierce blush on her cheeks as soon as he had done that. 

"I'll be fine. I'll watch where I'm stepping." 

He makes his way to the centre of the palace where his own rooms are located, where fires burned in braziers all day long and kept the place lit brightly at night. Her rooms being the official rooms for the royal concubines weren't far from the Emperor's chambers and it didn't take them long to get there. The only reason she would be cold is because she is the only consort. No point in lighting that many fires, he sighs mentally, And yet someone should have at least brought warm water for her. Yifan glances down at Feiyan and notices her looking up at him. Her flushed complexion and misty eyes made his heart beat a beat too quickly, so he hastily returned his gaze forward and focused on where they were going. 

Feiyan's foggy mind left her to forget that she really shouldn't be staring. But never had she had the opportunity to be this close to the Wolf King. With her hands wrapped tightly around his neck, she felt the soft, tickling sensation of his hair brushing the back of her hand whenever a breeze blew. Her eyes traced along his sharp and defined jawline; and when he had briefly met her eyes, she could see the strength and ferocity in his gaze - a single look that could turn people to ice. But at that moment she had felt a warmth, or perhaps that was simply her illness-struck mind imagining something impossible. 

Turning the corner, the doors to his own set of chambers could be seen. Large braziers burned firewood by the doors, occasionally stoked by a passing eunuch. Yifan glanced down at Feiyan who seemed to have fallen into slumber between him having last looked down and now arriving at his destination. He wanted to check her temperature but his hands were occupied, and making sure no one else saw, he bent his head to touch his forehead to hers. He remembered that was how his mother often cared for him when he had been ill during his childhood.

Feiyan's skin burned against his causing him to quicken his steps and head inside his rooms. The warmth of the inside hit him as he nudged the doors open with the toe of his shoe and he remembered just how cold her room was in contrast to his. He wondered why no one had brought her a brazier. Why had her maid done nothing? Why had she not gone to ask for a physician? It all seemed a little bit dubious but he was far too worried about Feiyan's health than anything else at the moment.

As soon as he settled her down on his bed, tucking the furs and covers around her and adding more firewood to the brazier in his room, he sent for a physician. When he finally had a moment to himself while waiting for the man to come, he sat himself down on a chair he'd pulled up beside his bed to watch over her. The silence let his thoughts pour out and he slowly sifted through them. For some reason, this girl continually made him worry over her; she brought out an uncharacteristic side of him he'd never seen, feeling like a mother hen with all the care he has been dispensing for her and fully neglecting his duties he needed to complete for the day. 

Even the night before he had been overcome with some emotion that dragged his feet to where her rooms were, pacing around in front until a maid came with a tray of food to which he had promptly decided that he'd bring it in and dismissed the girl. He felt foolish but the look on Feiyan's face felt like... it had been worth it. 

Looking over her, he could tell that it was obvious many people doted on her. It was just how she appeared with her kindness that attracted people; the complete opposite of himself. Her brother would most definitely be the one who loved her the most. He watched as her brows furrowed in her sleep, and moved to gently brush away her hair and perhaps her worries. As soon as Yifan's hand rested on her head, she seemed to relax and her breathing evened out.

"You are too defenceless and easy to read, dear girl," he sighed. Yifan continued to watch her sleep until a knock on his door told him the physician had arrived. "Come in," he greeted, straightening up from his chair.

"Your majesty," the physician said with a bow. A raised eyebrow showed that he could clearly guess it is not the King who is ill.

"It is my consort," Yifan answered swiftly, turning on his heels to let the man through. He recognised the man as the son of the Head Physician; maybe the old man was busy and had sent the young man instead. He remembered that the son has been studying under the father to carry on the family profession. What were their names again? Chen. He wrinkled his nose when he recalled that the father had been so original in deciding to name his son after himself. Head Physician Chen Sr. and Apprentice Chen Jr. 

He watched as the young man shook the girl awake so he could preform his medical examination of her. He checked her pulse, her temperature, had her open wide to check the inside of . When he was done, he pulled out a variety of herbs from his box of medical supplies, mixing, crushing then wrapping them neatly into a package and handing them to the Wolf King, his hands not even shaking nor a waver in his demeanour; Chen Jr. seemed genuinely un