[CONTENTID1]Death Becomes You[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]The Emperor's Fear[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

"Ahhh! It's good to be home!" Kris exhaled heavily as he disembarked the ship, stretching leisurely as his feet hit the ground. His walk was a tad unsteady, it must be said, it had been a long sea journey and his legs were used to the tossing and rocking of the waves. Bending over to touch his toes, he didn't notice that he had been surrounded until he heard the cold voice of his ruler. A voice he hadn't heard since a night one year ago, screaming in ecstasy.

" him back to the palace. There are...things, which must be discussed," Zitao's robes swirled about his feet, black as night, and his face was once again veiled. Kris couldn't help but wonder who had died this time.

"Zi-My Liege, what is this about?" Kris fought to keep himself in control when all his senses urged him to flee, to fight, but staring down the points of a dozen spears tended to make one think a little bit more before springing into action.

"We will discuss it once we have returned to the Imperial Palace," was all his Emperor would say, turning, robes swishing, leaving him. And so Kris was marched through the streets, paraded for all to see, the great warrior and traveler who must have committed some terrible crime. Kris could feel his stunning reputation shattering as though it were a fine china vase.

He was thrown into the audience room, doors slamming shut behind him as the Emperor whirled around to face him. The room was empty, devoid of a single human presence aside from themselves. The Emperor's veil was still in place, and Kris found within himself the odd urge to remove it, to look into those deep eyes and discover what was wrong.

"You left me," Zitao whispered, words loud even when spoken softly, for they were all that Kris could hear, "You left me, after what we did - with- without even a note!" Zitao's voice was growing stronger and Kris knew he had to say something, anything, to forestall the inevitable anger that would soon spring forth.

"You told me you just wanted me to sleep with you!"

"I never said I wanted that to be the end! And even if that was truly what you thought, if you weren't just trying to spite me, is it not customary to wake up to the person you just. Gave. Your ity?! And what about notes?! Are you saying you didn't have the time to jot down a small note detailing what you thought of me, and where you were going? Don't you think I worried this past year, never knowing? DON'T YOU KNOW I CARED FOR YOU?!" Zitao shouted in rage, ripping away the black veil so Kris could see the fury in the other's eyes, the hatred.

"You told me you didn't want a permanent relationship! How was I to know you had a crush on me? You told me you couldn't see me while you were married, which I assumed would be soon, you are far above the average age!"

"Couldn't you tell I liked you by the fact that I wanted to sleep with you?" Zitao was crying now, hiccupped sobs, but when Kris tried to approach him, his hands were slapped away with great force.

"I assumed, as you said, you were just looking to fulfill the one side of your life you wouldn't be able to have again once you were married -"

"And you didn't ever think that might have included at least a temporary relationship?" Kris sighed,

"Look, Zitao -"
"DON'T call me that!"

"Alright, alright, My Lord, I apologize, I misunderstood. I've done this kind of thing before, I wasn't to know you expected differently -" Kris broke off as the sudden urge to cough hit him. Hand over his mouth he gave into the small fit - it was only once he was finished that he realized the Emperor was directly in front of him, looking terrified.

"You're sick!" he exclaimed, palm going to his forehead, before he stumbled back, "Oh my god," Zitao raced for the door, shouting for a physician,

"It's alright, Your Grace, it's just a little cold -"
"It is not a little cold," the Emperor looked even more furious than he had been before, "This is how it always starts, you're going to leave me now, you're going to die. Just like everyone else."

"I am not going to die!" though he couldn't help but feel a quickening of his heart at the very thought that his Emperor might be causing this.

"That's what everyone says!" he spat, "You don't get it, do you? Haven't you ever wondered why I'm not yet married? My elder brother was married at fourteen, after all. Here I am, twenty, and not a soul by my side. It's because they keep dying. I have had five fiances - and they are the few who made it that far! Of all the girls I have courted, they have all perished. I should have known I couldn't have you, either," Zitao finished in a murmur of distress as the court physician arrived, quickly checking Kris over,
"That's not going to happen, have a little faith!"

"Even if it didn't, what would it matter? You don't want to be here anyways!"

"I'll stay if you want me to," Kris garbled as the doctor forced open his jaw to look down his throat,
"Oh yes," Zitao scoffed, "Let's revisit me giving you orders to do things you don't want to do! That worked so well last time, why didn't I think of it?"

"I-hey-oh, don orr-e bou id," Kris coughed again once his jaw was released, "Zitao, don't worry so much, I've had colds before, it's probably just my body adjusting to being on dry land again," while the doctor went to grab some herbs from his bag, Kris approached the Emperor, clasping the other's hands within his own, "So you really care about me?" he whispered in Zitao's ear, to which he only received a small tilt of a head to acknowledge that Kris's statement was correct.

"My Liege, I apologize for interrupting, but I do believe this man is sick and it would be best for you to take a few steps back to avoid contamination -"

"No. I'll stay by his side," Zitao said firmly, eyes never leaving Kris's, an infatuated child in a body of royalty.

"All due respect, that probably won't do him, or you, any good -"

"I don't care. He shall stay in the room next to mine - whoever is in there, get them out, now. It is high time Kris has had a permanent residence in the palace. Well, what you waiting for? Get to it!" Zitao shooed the man away, who pressed the appropriate herbs into Kris's hands before he dashed off. Zitao pulled Kris to sit down on one of the cushion seats off to the side,

"We'll wait here until the room is ready," he gave a small smile as he looked at Kris, though Kris could stills see the worry plain in his eyes. Worry that Kris wouldn't survive this, and he would be the cause once more.

"Why are you interested in me?" Kris asked suddenly, fever making him brash.

"Why shouldn't I be?"

"Don't go around in circles with me please, 'Tao, I can't do it today," he rubbed at his forehead in discomfort, suddenly realizing how miserable he was feeling. Zitao's face fell, "Ah, look, sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I just wondered why you want me, I'm a lot older, I've hardly been in your life, I'm not the most handsome boy you could ever find...," Zitao placed a gentle hand on his cheek, stopping his words,

"You are not so old. Twenty three, you're only three more than I am myself. I've wondered, envied, your life since I was a child, watching you set out on your first journey when you were but ten years old, and I, seven. When I was ten I was learning the ins and outs of being a proper prince of the realm. Boring as hell if I do say so myself, and if you'll forgive my language. You were intriguing. And it was of you I thought after I read those books. Always you. You fascinated me. You are, for me, the best looking man I have ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on, and I don't expect that fact to change. This interest of mine, therefore, is not new, o